
Juliette Hammer
Sale Coordinator
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£5,000 - £8,000
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Head of Chinese and Asian Art, London
清己卯年(1759或1819年) 紫檀嵌寶饕餮紋盃
The inscription reads: 己卯仲冬,倣允弘製
Which may be translated as: 'In the second month of winter in the Jimao year, made by Fang Yunhong.'
The taotie masks on the present lot are modelled after the decorative motifs found on ancient bronzes. The Qianlong Emperor, renowned for his admiration of antiquity, expressed this sentiment in his own words: 'Gradually desiring to draw it closer to antiquity, hoping thereby to return to its origins' (漸慾引之古,庶其返以初). The Emperor's preference for archaistic aesthetics significantly shaped the design and production of wood and bamboo works at the Qing Court. See a related bamboo-veneered 'taotie' masks vase, Qing dynasty, in the Qing Court Collection, Palace Museum, Beijing (acc.no.故0012359).
Compare with a related silver-inlaid zitan libation cup similarly decorated with taotie masks, 18th century, which was sold at Bonhams London, 15 May 2014, lot 455.