A pair of Chinese silk and soapstone-mounted 'Romance of the Western Chamber' panels, Qianlong period, assembled as two boxes, the covers each depicting a man and woman in a garden dotted with blossoming trees and potted flowers, the sliding covers...
A pair of Chinese silk and soapstone-mounted 'Romance of the Western Chamber' panels, Qianlong period, assembled as two boxes, the covers each depicting a man and woman in a garden dotted with blossoming trees and potted flowers, the sliding covers enclosing erotic scenes, 21.5cm-17.7cm (2) Provenance: Offered at Christie's South Kensington, Oriental Ceramics and Works of Art, 28 November 1991, Lot 41. Note: 'Romance of the Western Chamber' is one of the most-celebrated works of literature in China, and has been adapted across a wide range of artistic mediums, including porcelain, paintings, woodblock prints and, as seen in the present lot, soapstone-inlaid silk panels. Written by the Yuan dynasty playwright Wang Shifu, 'Romance of the Western Chamber' tells the story of the young couple Zhang Sheng and Cui Yingying, who consummate their love outside the bond of marriage, much to the disapproval of their parents. The work has been hailed as the 'Chinese lover's bible'.
品相報告 Condition Report: Loss of soapstone - notably the head on the cover of one of the panels, and a whole figure is missing from the 'balcony' panel cover. Discolouration to the silk, with surface wear present and some grazes. The borders with heavy wear, flaking, and loss of material.
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A pair of Chinese silk and soapstone-mounted 'Romance of the Western Chamber' panels, Qianlong period, assembled as two boxes, the covers each depicting a man and woman in a garden dotted with blossoming trees and potted flowers, the sliding covers enclosing erotic scenes, 21.5cm-17.7cm (2) Provenance: Offered at Christie's South Kensington, Oriental Ceramics and Works of Art, 28 November 1991, Lot 41. Note: 'Romance of the Western Chamber' is one of the most-celebrated works of literature in China, and has been adapted across a wide range of artistic mediums, including porcelain, paintings, woodblock prints and, as seen in the present lot, soapstone-inlaid silk panels. Written by the Yuan dynasty playwright Wang Shifu, 'Romance of the Western Chamber' tells the story of the young couple Zhang Sheng and Cui Yingying, who consummate their love outside the bond of marriage, much to the disapproval of their parents. The work has been hailed as the 'Chinese lover's bible'.
品相報告 Condition Report: Loss of soapstone - notably the head on the cover of one of the panels, and a whole figure is missing from the 'balcony' panel cover. Discolouration to the silk, with surface wear present and some grazes. The borders with heavy wear, flaking, and loss of material.
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