Pair of cinnabar lacquer wall vases with gilt bronze mounts
Qianlong period, 1736 – 1795
Height: 15 cm | 5 7/8 in

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The vases have convex fronts decorated in cinnabar lacquer, and plain flat backs lacquered black. Each bulbous body is carved with a main panel; one depicts a rider and his horse – drinking at a lakeside – and also a crouching man carrying a banner. The other panel depicts a horse being led by a youth, observed by two officials. These panels are bordered by a lingzhi head band, at the shoulder, and by a stylized interlocking lotus flower band, below. The foot is simply decorated with flower sprays, and the necks by two key-fret borders either side of a simple line of scrolling flowers; all the carvings are delineated against a fine diaper background. The vases are further embellished by gilt bronze dragon handles – one on each shoulder – and supported under the foot rim by three gilt bronze lions, with heads turned upwards. All the mounts are lacquered on the reverse – the black lacquer contemporaneous with that on the back of the vases.

Provenance: Galerie Delplace, Brussels, 10th September 1941.

Exhibited: Oude Kunst uit Leuvens Privebezit, 18th July – 18th October 1964 at the Musée Municipal de Louvain, Belgium – catalogue no. P/24.

Similar example: Carved Lacquer in the Collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, 1985 – no. 283 illustrates a cinnabar lacquer box and cover that is mounted with gilt bronze dragon handles.