Footnotes

清乾隆 剔紅山水人物圖小櫃

The present lot stands out for its exceptional carving quality with remarkable precision. The masterful interplay of high and low relief, layered within the rich cinnabar lacquer, enhances the three-dimensional effect of the design. This level of craftsmanship epitomises the opulent aesthetic favoured by the Qianlong Emperor and represents the zenith of lacquer carving achieved during his reign.

The imagery of the two main panels is inspired by Su Shi's Former and Later Ode to the Red Cliffs (前後赤壁賦). Su Shi and his friends embarked on a boat journey to the Red Cliffs, just outside Huangzhou, where he reflected on the historic Battle of Red Cliffs—fought over 800 years earlier—when Sun Quan of the Three Kingdoms era triumphed over Cao Cao's forces. Moved by the scene and its echoes of history, Su Shi composed the Former Ode to the Red Cliffs, contemplating the vastness of the universe and the transient nature of life.

The top left panel show the story of Ni Zan's servants cleaning leaves. Ni Zan (1301–1374), a renowned Chinese painter of the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties and one of the 'Four Masters of the Yuan Dynasty,' was born into a wealthy family, and was known not only for his artistic brilliance but also for his attention to detail in everyday matters. Legend has it that he employed two servants who were tasked with ensuring the absolute cleanliness of the four treasures of the study, including scrubbing his brushes, inkstone, paper, and seal, as well as cleaning seating areas after guests had departed. The servants were also responsible for sweeping his clothes and, rather unusually, scrubbing the sycamore tree outside his study—ensuring that its trunk, branches, and leaves were spotless, morning and evening. This extreme level of cleanliness is said to reflect Ni Zan's belief in maintaining a perfect, orderly environment, befitting the intellectual and artistic pursuits he held in such high regard.

Compare with a similar cinnabar lacquer cabinet, 18th century, carved with figures in landscape scenes, in the Palace Museum, Taipei, illustrated in Carving the Subtle Radiance of Colours. Treasured Lacquerware in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, 2008, no.172. See also a similar, but slightly larger pair of cinnabar lacquer cabinets, Qianlong, illustrated in Zhulian bihe zhi mei: Zhongguo qiqi & falang qi shoucang jingpin xuan, pp.82-83.

See also a related pair of cinnabar lacquer table cabinets, which was sold at Bonhams London, 7 November 2024, lot 180.