AN UNUSUAL CINNABAR LACQUER CARVED SCROLL-SHAPED STAND

18th/19th century

18th/19th century
Carved on the top with the bearded Zhong Kui leading his sister, gliding on long wispy clouds above roofs and trees, all within a shaped cartouche, the sides with auspicious citrons and fruits, all between key-fret borders. 50.5cm (19 7/8in) long.

十八/十九世紀 剔紅人物紋卷書式幾

Provenance:
Spink & Son Ltd., London,
Mrs E. A. Parry (1879-1977), London, acquired from the above on 31 October 1935, and thence by descent

來源：
倫敦古董商Spink & Son Ltd.
倫敦E. A. Parry夫人（1879-1977）舊藏，於1935年10月31日購自上者，並由後人保存迄今

The present lot may depict a bearded Zhong Kui accompanying his sister to get married. Zhong Kui is more often depicted as a demon-queller surrounded by an entourage of demons, but sometimes artists and artisans portrayed his rough visage contrasting with his elegant sister. The clouds emphasise their other-worldly nature. 'Marrying off one's sister' (jia mei) is also a pun for 'subjugating demons' (ya gui). A painting by the Yuan dynasty artist Yan Geng (active late 13th century) in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (acc.no.1990.134), shows this motif of Zhong Kui and his sister.

Compare with a related cinnabar lacquer scroll-shaped stand, Qing dynasty, illustrated in Refined Pleasures in the Study: Treasures and Curios from Traditional Study, Taipei, 2007, p.100. A black lacquered and jade-inlaid scroll-form stand, 18th/19th century, is illustrated in Carving the Subtle Radiance of Colors: Treasured Lacquerware in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, 2008, p.166.

面心浮雕一髯者攜一女子騰雲而行，或為「鍾馗嫁妹」之典。鍾馗自唐以來一直都是文人及畫家喜愛的題材，民間則利用鍾馗圖像去晦驅邪。紐約大都會藝術博物館館藏一幅南宋或元代顏庚所繪《鍾馗嫁妹》，藏品編號1990.134，為現存最早以之為題的畫作。一說「嫁妹」與「壓鬼」諧音，意在驅除鬼邪。

對比台北國立歷史博物館館藏一例清山水雕漆書卷幾，收錄於《文窗雅趣——傳統文房清玩珍尚》，台北，2007年，頁100；以及台北國立故宮博物院館藏一例清十八至十九世紀剔黑嵌玉卷書式幾，收錄於《和光剔彩——故宮藏漆》，台北，2008，頁166。