A LARGE AND FINE CHINESE CINNABAR LACQUER 'FIGURAL' BOX AND COVER 早十九世紀 剔紅人物故事圖紋方蓋盒

A LARGE AND FINE CHINESE CINNABAR LACQUER 'FIGURAL' BOX AND COVER Early 19th Century 早十九世紀 剔紅人物故事圖紋方蓋盒 The box of rectangular form, the cover deeply carved with a figural scene depicting various figures set in a garden landscape with rock formation and trees surrounding a bridge leading to a pavilion, the sides of the box decorated in panels depicting the 'Eight Horses of Wang Mu' or King Mu of the Zhou Dynasty, which alludes to a folktale when the King dreamed of being an Immortal. According to this story, he was determined to visit the heavenly paradise and taste the peaches of immortality. Zhaofu, a charioteer used his chariot pulled by eight horses named after their colour. In other accounts, the horses' names reflected their unusual talents such as horse that gallops without touching the ground. The base and the interior of the box lacquered in black, 7.2cm high, 32cm wide, 21cm deep (2) - PROVENANCE: Private Collection, London 來源： 倫敦私人收藏Click here to share: