IMPORTANT ET RARE VASE IMPÉRIAL EN BRONZE DORÉ... Lot 34

IMPORTANT ET RARE VASE IMPÉRIAL EN BRONZE DORÉ ET ÉMAUX CLOISONNÉS Marque et époque Qianlong (1736-1795) A RARE LARGE IMPERIAL GILT-BRONZE AND CLOISONNE ENAMEL VASE, GU Qianlong four-character mark and of the period Heavily cast and richly gilt, of tall baluster form with a bulbous central section raised on a spreading pedestal foot and rising to a tall trumpet neck with wide flared rim, set with a pair of gilt-metal scroll handles inlaid with coloured glass stones, the body decorated in vibrant colours with dense lotus scrolls centring on four large lotus blooms, the neck with a pair of confronted stylised dragons on each side below a band of pendant leaves, the foot similarly decorated above a band of lotus lappets, the base with an incised four-character mark within a double square. 42.5cm (16 3/4in) high. Footnotes: THE PROPERTY OF A GENTLEMAN 士紳藏品 清乾隆 銅鎏金掐絲琺瑯纏枝蓮紋螭龍耳瓶「乾隆年製」楷書款 Provenance: Acquired by the great-grandfather of the present owner in France in the late 19th century, and thence by descent 來源： 現任藏家曾祖父於19世紀末於法國獲得，並由後人保存迄今 This magnificent large cloisonné enamel vase reflects the influence of archaistic styles on the material culture under the Qianlong emperor. His interest in antiquity, and in archaic bronzes in particular, is documented in the catalogue of his collection of antiquites titled Xiqing gu jian, Catalogue of Chinese Ritual Bronzes in the Collection of the Qianlong Emperor, an illustrated catalogue of the over 1,500 bronzes in the Imperial collection completed in 1755. Many of the bronzes included in this catalogue provided the inspiration for artists and craftsmen in the imperial workshops who liberally adopted and interpreted the original forms and designs of archaic bronzes and adapted them to contemporaneous aesthetics. In its form, this vase shows the strong influence of an archaic ritual drinking vessel known as gu, most popular in the Western Zhou period, and it shares the bulbous central part, the high, splayed foot and tall flared neck with the original model. However, while the overall outlines of the archaic prototype were retained, the craftsmen who fashioned this vase liberally interpreted the original archaic shape. On this vase, the original archaic form has been adapted and slightly modified, with a larger, tapered middle part and a shorter and more widely flaring neck. The design of large lotus blooms and lotus scrolls covers the entire surface of this vase is, however, entirely based on 18th century and earlier decorative schemata, and can be found on textiles, porcelains and lacquerware of this and earlier periods. The use of pink and white, two new enamel colours introduced in the Yongzheng period, lends the design a more sophisticated color gradation and adds a painterly quality. Moreover, the very playful design of the elaborate gilt-metal handles cast and richly gilt in the form of wispy leaves and tendrils, is also firmly rooted in the 18th century and alludes to Western rocaille motifs introduced by Jesuits to the Qianlong court, as are the very unusual coloured glass inlays. Two important points further distinguish this vase: the large size and the four-character mark incised to the centre of the base. Cloisonné enamel vessels in the collection of the Palace Museum show that there are four different types of marks on vessels made for use at the Imperial court. On some vessels the Qianlong mark is cast in relief, while on others, the marks are incised on the rims of a vessel. Other vessels bear an incised four- or six-character mark on the base, often within an double square, compare several examples illustrated in Palace Museum (ed.), Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum. Enamels, 2, Cloisonné in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Beijing, 2011, cat.nos.163, 171, 259 and 280. The present vase is among a small group of larger marked cloisonné vessels in the Palace Museum collection, compare Palace Museum (ed.), op.cit., cat.no.170, 171, 172 and 259. Its impressive size, intricate design and incised mark are elements found only on imperial cloisonné enamels of the finest quality and suggests that it was commissioned for the court of the Qianlong emperor. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com