A SUPERB IMPERIAL CLOISONNÉ ENAMEL, LACQUER AND ZITAN EMBELLISHED DOUBLE-SIDED SCREEN AND STAND

Qianlong

Qianlong
The central moon-shaped circular panel framed by a gilt-bronze band finely incised with a foliate scroll, the medallion exquisitely inlaid with jade and various hardstones with a rabbit on rockwork gazing up at a gnarled pine tree with coral lingzhi issuing from the roots, all on a turquoise ground surrounded by five bats, wufu, in flight amidst ruyi-shaped clouds amidst flowering and fruiting branches, the reverse with a further gnarled pine tree issuing from an ivory ground with grass and rockwork against a black-lacquered ground, all set within a cinnabar lacquer frame with key-fret border, further inlaid with lime-green-stained-ivory carved with diaper-patterns, the zitan stand elegantly carved and pierced with further floral scrolls and further ivory lime-green sections. 43.3cm (17in) high x 40.3cm (15 7/8in) wide. (2).

清乾隆 紫檀嵌象牙座剔紅框銅胎掐絲琺瑯鑲漆地嵌寶「蟾宮月兔圖」插屏

Provenance:
Spink & Son Ltd., London,
E. A. Parry, London (1879-1946), acquired from the above on 15 May 1925, and thence by descent

來源：
倫敦古董商Spink & Son Ltd.
倫敦E. A. Parry（1879-1946）舊藏，於1925年5月15日購自上者，並由後人保存迄今

The opulence and exquisite craftsmanship shown in the present screen exemplifies the peak of Qianlong period craftsmanship. No cost was spared to accomplish the auspicious Daoist representation, utilising different techniques and a variety of prized materials, from cloisonné enamel, gilt-bronze, carved lacquer to hardstone inlay, stained ivory, zitan and boxwood.

With its exquisite decoration of the rabbit with a lunar-like roundel, the present lot was most likely associated with the Moon festival or Mid-Autumn festival, when China's Emperors worshipped the moon and offerings were made to Chang'e the Moon Goddess of Immortality, for bountiful harvests. A companion of Chang'e is the Moon rabbit, sometimes also known as the Jade rabbit, who constantly pounds herbs for the Immortals. In time, the rabbit became synonymous with the moon, as the famous Tang poet Li Bai (701-762) relates:

'The rabbit on the moon in vain pounds the elixir'

The screen also contains several other auspicious symbols beside the moon rabbit. Towering above the rabbit is a gnarled pine tree. The pine tree, bamboo and plum blossoms were called the 'Three Friends of Winter' because they grew and stayed green when nothing else did in the cold winter. Thus, the pine came to symbolise perseverance through difficulty and integrity.

Furthermore, the cloisonné enamel has five bats (wufu), a rebus for the 'Five Blessings' of longevity, health, wealth, love of virtue and a good end to life. There are also ruyi clouds that resemble the shape of a lingzhi fungus, said to have life-prolonging properties. The motif can be further interpreted as a pun on the word 'cloud', yun, which is a homophone for fuyun, 'good fortune'. In an agricultural society, the rain-bearing clouds would have been perceived as a benevolent omen, for the necessary irrigation of the crops. Peaches can also be seen, which are symbols of longevity. Peaches were associated with the Queen Mother of the West who grew a peach orchard. Her peaches were said to grant Immortality, and the God of Longevity, Shoulao, is frequently depicted carrying a peach.

See a lotus-leaf-shaped dish with a central roundel of a rabbit pounding an elixir of Immortality, Qianlong six-character mark and of the period, from the Qing Court Collection, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Lacquer Wares of the Qing Dynasty, Shenzhen, 2006, p.28, no.17. Other related ivory, jade and wood inlaid screens, mid Qing dynasty, in the Qing Court Collection, are illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Bamboo, Wood, Ivory and Rhinoceros Horn Carvings, Hong Kong, 2002, nos.192-195.

The elaborate and opulent combination of various prized materials in the production of the present screen can also be noted on a pair of Imperial embellished lapis lazuli 'Da Ji' double-gourd plaques, Qianlong, also made of gilt-metal, jade, and standing on zitan and ivory stands, which was sold at Christie's London, 5 November 2019, lot 116.

插屏中央月洞形開光以鏨卷草紋鎏金銅帶為緣，開光內於平面松綠漆地上鑲嵌各色玉石，組成「蟾宮月兔圖」；玉兔蹲坐石上，昂首仰望蒼松，蒼松之下有靈芝一株。開光四周為掐絲琺瑯流雲五蝠花果紋。插屏背面為另一幅黑漆地嵌寶松石圖。剔紅屏框以回紋為飾，並在邊框上方兩角及上緣嵌有灰綠象牙錦地紋條。所附紫檀底座亦同樣嵌有牙雕飾件及黃楊木鏤刻纏枝花卉。

本插屏造工之精細及裝飾之富麗，可堪體現乾隆時期工藝高峰。全器之製作包括了掐絲琺瑯、銅胎鎏金、雕漆等工藝，材料則囊括了從象牙、紫檀至黃楊種種珍貴之物。工不厭細，料不厭精，終成這座融匯多種祥瑞寓意之珍品。

屏上精嵌的玉兔形象及月洞形開光均蘊含中秋意象。中秋為帝王祭月祈賀豐收之時。傳說中，與居於月宮的嫦娥為伴的玉兔長年不停搗製長生藥；古詩中也往往以兔指代月，如李白所之詩句「月兔空搗藥」。

開光圖案之外的掐絲琺瑯流雲五蝠花果紋，則以五蝠寓「高壽、康寧、富貴、好德、善終」五福，以如意流雲象形延年靈芝並諧音「福運」。傳統農業社會中，可以帶來降雨以灌溉莊稼的雲被視為吉兆。此處紋樣中亦可見壽桃。在中國傳統圖像中，壽桃多附會於西王母之仙桃；神話中的長壽之神「壽老」也常被描繪為手捧壽桃之形象。

清宮舊藏一件清乾隆剔紅海月香盤，盤心亦作圓形開光，表示圓月，並以戧金彩漆「月兔搗藥圖」為飾，收錄於《故宮博物院藏文物珍品全集：清代漆器》，上海 ，2006，頁28，編號17號，可資參考。另有數例清宮舊藏清中期百寶嵌插屏亦可為比對，見《故宮博物院藏文物珍品大系：竹木牙角雕刻》，香港，2002年，編號192-195。

本品選料之奢華，工藝之精細，也可對比一對清乾隆青金石嵌百寶蝙蝠「大吉」葫蘆屏連紫檀座，售於倫敦佳士得，2019年11月5日，拍品編號116。