Rare boîte en laque sculptée Dynastie Qing, époque Qianlong

de forme rectangulaire, la partie frontale, coulissant vers le haut, finement sculpté d'une assemblée composée de saints bouddhistes et de lokapala, présidée par Maitreya, les côtés latéraux et le dessus à décor de dragons à cinq griffes parmi les nuages, la double base lotiforme séparée par un frise de chevrons et soulignée d'une frise de leiwen, l'intérieur, le dessous et le dos laqués noir (2)

The box and cover are in overall good condition. There are very minute fritts to the edges of the base, the box and cover, and to the inside and outside edges, some of which may have been painted over in the past. There are hairline cracks to the lacquer on the cover extending from the rim into the cover. There is a ca. 1x05cm large sliver of wood that came off the inside left lower corner of the cover. There is a ca. 0.5cm shallow chip to the upper right hand edge of the cover. There are horizontal cracks to the black lacquer surface on the back of the cover. The back of the box may have been relacquered.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The image skillfully carved with great detail on the cover of the present box represents a scene from the life of Buddha Shakyamuni preaching to his Buddhist disciples including the 500 luohan, the four heavenly guardians and numerous guanyin (Shijia mouni fo shuofa tu). A subject that is rarely depicted on three-dimensional objects, it is nevertheless known from carved cinnabar lacquer boxes and covers of similar shape and design with a sliding cover such as an almost identical example formerly in the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. R. H. Palmer, now in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, illustrated in R. Soame Jenyns and William Watson, Chinese Art. The Minor Arts, vol. II, New York, 1963, pp. 354-355, no. 167, and a box in the collection of the National Palace Museum, Taipei, published in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Lacquer Wares of the Qing Dynasty, Hong Kong, 2006, cat. no. 24. A cover of such another box decorated with the same subject, was sold at Koller Zurich, 18th September 2010, lot 275.

While the exact function of these rare boxes is not known, it has been suggested that they may have been designed and decorated to contain the spirit tablet of a deceased, a practice whereby the name of the deceased was recorded on a spirit tablet which were then kept in boxes of similar shape in temples, taken out to receive prayers and offerings at suitable festivals, compare Jenyns and Watson, ibid., pl. 355. The box now in the Victoria and Albert Museum is inscribed and dedicated to the Qianlong emperor, the box in the National Palace Museum is similarly inscribed with the Qianlong emperor's name. While the present box is not inscribed, we may assume that it too may have been made for use by the Qianlong emperor or a high-ranking member of the Imperial family as the quality of the carving is identical to the two boxes referred to and the sides are decorated with 5-clawed dragons.