Lot 118
  • 118

A WHITE JADE INCENSE BURNER, FANGDING QING DYNASTY, 18TH CENTURY |

Estimate
500,000 - 700,000 HKD
Log in to view results
bidding is closed

Description

  • w. 16.6 cm, 6 1/2  in.
of rectangular section, the straight sides rising from four tubular legs to an everted rim, flanked by a pair of curved upright handles pierced with rectangular apertures, the translucent stone of an even white tone, wood stand

Condition

The incense burner is in good overall condition. There is expected insignificant bruising and nibbling to the edges and fragile extremities.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Catalogue Note

Carved from a single piece of almost flawless white stone, this fangding vessel is outstanding for its quality. Although largely left undecorated to emphasise the beauty of the boulder and clean lines of the archaic bronze shape, the skill of the craftsman is evident in the beautiful arches and beaded edges of the handles. This subtle feature echoes the detailing seen on ancient bronzes and Ming dynasty furniture popular throughout the 18th century, and fully demonstrates the aspiration to adapt ancient forms to suit contemporary taste. Similar treatment to the handles can be seen in a number of archaistic jade vessels dated to the Qianlong reign, including a fangding bearing the Emperor’s yuzhi seal mark, supported on similar tubular legs and carved with taotie masks, exhibited in Virtuous Treasures. Chinese Jades for the Scholar’s Table, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 2008, no. 6; and another covered vessel illustrated ibid., no. 33.

Indeed, the Qianlong Emperor had a strong preference for wares that imitated antiquities and disapproval for the florid ‘new style’ is documented in palace records and poems that he composed. In the catalogue to the exhibition The Refined Taste of the Emperor. Special Exhibition of Archaic and Pictorial Jades of the Ch’ing Court, National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1997, p. 49, it is noted that the Emperor followed the literati aesthetic that developed in the Song dynasty, whereby the study and appreciation of antiques allowed scholars "to experience the artistic freshness and moral strength of the classical period. In turn, they hoped to invest their own generation with these values, thus enriching both art and public life". In order to promote this the Emperor ordered the court to publish collections of drawings of antiquities and circulate them among craftsmen. 

Undecorated jade vessels of this form are very rare, as they are more commonly carved with dense archaistic motifs, see one in the collection of the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, illustrated in René-Yvon Lefebvre d’Argencé, Chinese Jades in the Avery Brundage Collection, Tokyo, 1977, pl. LIII; and another, with carved straight legs and upright rim handles, in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, included in the Museum’s exhibition Great National Treasures of China, Taipei, 1996, cat. no. 45.