A LARGE (178 CM) AND IMPRESSIVE ROSEWOOD 'DRAGON' PANEL, VIETNAM, NGUYEN DYNASTY (1802-1945)
A LARGE (178 CM) AND IMPRESSIVE ROSEWOOD 'DRAGON' PANEL, VIETNAM, NGUYEN DYNASTY (1802-1945)
Expert's note
Vietnamese woodcarving reached one of its greatest artistic and technical peaks during the Nguyen dynasty, in the 19th and early 20th centuries. During this period, virtuoso woodcarving became a particular hallmark of Vietnamese craftsmanship, attaining a degree of technical refinement virtually unrivalled elsewhere in Southeast Asia. The present rosewood (Dalbergia) panel is an impressive testament to this extraordinary tradition. Emerging dramatically from swirling banks of mist, the mystical dragon represents an ancient motif deeply rooted in the artistic traditions of China, Vietnam, and much of Asia. Here, however, it is rendered with exceptional sculptural sophistication: the powerful movement of the dragon, the remarkable depth and precision of the carving, and the masterful interplay between the carved design and the beautiful natural grain of the wood combine to achieve a level of refinement rarely encountered.
Finely carved in relief, the broad rectangular panel depicting two sinuous dragons emerging dramatically from billowing, misty clouds, their scaly bodies twisting across the surface. To one side, a lively flight of bats flutters among cash coins tied with streaming ribbons. The composition is enclosed by a frame embellished at the inner corners with angular key-fret brackets.
Provenance: And old French private collection. A private collection in France, acquired from the above, and thence by descent.
Condition: Good condition with expected wear and manufacturing irregularities. Small nicks, few age cracks, light surface scratches. Over the decades, the rosewood has developed an exceptionally beautiful, rich golden-brown 'mahogany' patina.
Weight: 4.5 kg
Dimensions: Size 68 x 178.5 cm
The bat is considered a highly auspicious symbol in Vietnam, with red bats – such as the one depicted in the present lot – being the luckiest. A group of five bats represents the Ngũ Phúc, or Chinese wufu, the “Five Blessings”: longevity, wealth, health, virtue, and a peaceful death. Here, the bats flutter among cash coins tied with streaming ribbons, combining these five blessings with wishes for material wealth and prosperity. Wild bats remain common in Vietnamese cities, where they play an important ecological role by controlling mosquitoes and other harmful insects.
Arguably the most important mythical creature in Vietnamese art, the dragon (rồng or long) occupies a central place in the country's mythology and cultural identity. The Vietnamese traditionally regard themselves as the descendants of the Dragon Lord Lạc Long Quân and the fairy Âu Cơ, expressed in the phrase con Rồng cháu Tiên—“children of the dragon, grandchildren of the immortal.” One of the Four Sacred Creatures, the dragon governs water and rainfall and therefore symbolizes fertility, abundant harvests, protection, prosperity, and peace. It also served as the foremost emblem of royal authority, with the five-clawed dragon reserved for the emperor under later dynastic conventions.
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A LARGE (178 CM) AND IMPRESSIVE ROSEWOOD 'DRAGON' PANEL, VIETNAM, NGUYEN DYNASTY (1802-1945)
Expert's note
Vietnamese woodcarving reached one of its greatest artistic and technical peaks during the Nguyen dynasty, in the 19th and early 20th centuries. During this period, virtuoso woodcarving became a particular hallmark of Vietnamese craftsmanship, attaining a degree of technical refinement virtually unrivalled elsewhere in Southeast Asia. The present rosewood (Dalbergia) panel is an impressive testament to this extraordinary tradition. Emerging dramatically from swirling banks of mist, the mystical dragon represents an ancient motif deeply rooted in the artistic traditions of China, Vietnam, and much of Asia. Here, however, it is rendered with exceptional sculptural sophistication: the powerful movement of the dragon, the remarkable depth and precision of the carving, and the masterful interplay between the carved design and the beautiful natural grain of the wood combine to achieve a level of refinement rarely encountered.
Finely carved in relief, the broad rectangular panel depicting two sinuous dragons emerging dramatically from billowing, misty clouds, their scaly bodies twisting across the surface. To one side, a lively flight of bats flutters among cash coins tied with streaming ribbons. The composition is enclosed by a frame embellished at the inner corners with angular key-fret brackets.
Provenance: And old French private collection. A private collection in France, acquired from the above, and thence by descent.
Condition: Good condition with expected wear and manufacturing irregularities. Small nicks, few age cracks, light surface scratches. Over the decades, the rosewood has developed an exceptionally beautiful, rich golden-brown 'mahogany' patina.
Weight: 4.5 kg
Dimensions: Size 68 x 178.5 cm
The bat is considered a highly auspicious symbol in Vietnam, with red bats – such as the one depicted in the present lot – being the luckiest. A group of five bats represents the Ngũ Phúc, or Chinese wufu, the “Five Blessings”: longevity, wealth, health, virtue, and a peaceful death. Here, the bats flutter among cash coins tied with streaming ribbons, combining these five blessings with wishes for material wealth and prosperity. Wild bats remain common in Vietnamese cities, where they play an important ecological role by controlling mosquitoes and other harmful insects.
Arguably the most important mythical creature in Vietnamese art, the dragon (rồng or long) occupies a central place in the country's mythology and cultural identity. The Vietnamese traditionally regard themselves as the descendants of the Dragon Lord Lạc Long Quân and the fairy Âu Cơ, expressed in the phrase con Rồng cháu Tiên—“children of the dragon, grandchildren of the immortal.” One of the Four Sacred Creatures, the dragon governs water and rainfall and therefore symbolizes fertility, abundant harvests, protection, prosperity, and peace. It also served as the foremost emblem of royal authority, with the five-clawed dragon reserved for the emperor under later dynastic conventions.
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Time, Location
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