A rare carved cinnabar lacquer and 'tianqi' 'precious emblems' octagonal stand, Late Ming dynasty | 明末 剔紅八吉祥紋填漆八方几

Roger Keverne Ltd, London.

來源：

Roger Keverne Ltd，倫敦

This superb stand is an exceptional example of late Ming lacquer, essentially combining two Chinese lacquering techniques, carved cinnabar lacquer (tihong) and infilled-lacquer (tianqi), exemplifying all the admired qualities of the extraordinary late Ming lacquer craftsmanship. The top is carved with a complex design of the 'Eight Buddhist Emblems' depicted amidst various flower sprays rendered in a meticulous and sensitive quality. The shape of this stand is also elegantly constructed, supported on eight cabriole legs springing from an intricately formed lobed apron executed in the tianqi technique with intricate flower scrolls, creating an exuberance and complex visual effect.

Carving lacquer wares is a laborious, time-consuming process that can stretch over years. It requires the gradual build-up of the lacquer coating by adding and preparing thin layers of lacquer, each of which needs to dry before it can be polished and the next one applied, and finally the carving of the design and the smoothing out of all irregularities. In addition, the tianqi method consists of filling outlined areas with different-colored lacquer, thereby defining the detailed pattern. This technique allowed craftsmen to achieve attractive shading effects in vibrant colors within clearly defined forms.

Late Ming lacquer stands skillfully combining both methods are very rare, as most stands were made using only the tianqi technique, such as one of a rectangular form, sold in our Paris rooms, 13th November 2018, lot 26; and another one of larger size, previously on loan to the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, sold twice in these rooms, 28th and 29th September 1989, lot 398 and lot 23rd March 2011, lot 660.