A SMALL LAC-BURGAUTE 'GENGZHI TU' BOX AND COVER QING DYNASTY, 18TH CENTURY

of square foliate form supported on four small bracket feet, the top finely inlaid in mother-of-pearl and gold foils on a black lacquer ground with a pastoral scene taken from the Gengzhi tu ('Pictures of Tilling and Weaving'), showing a farmer and his buffalo ploughing a rice paddy in front of a village, two women conversing, a men walking near jars, and a boy filling water buckets from a stream in the distance, all set within a thin floral border, the sides inlaid with further floral bands, the base inscribed in shell inlay ru yue zhi heng ('As constant as the moon')

J.J. Lally & Co., New York, June 1994.

There is a small restuck chip to the lacquer at the bottom left corner of the cover (with the original piece), visible in the photo in the catalogue, a small patch of wear next to a circular stain near the ploughman, another age crack to the edge of the cover on the opposite side, some light relacquering to the corners and to the black lacquer ground on the base and interior, but overall the box is in quite good condition. The inlays are in good condition with extremely fresh colours.
"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 shell used in this type of inlay is the abalone and haliotis whose intense iridescence gives the impression of a painting in bright colours. The thin sheets of the shell are fixed in wet lacquer, with further layers added to build up the surrounding area and to fix the pieces firmly in place. Finally, the whole surface is polished down to a flat and even plane which brings out the striking colours of the shell and inlays and removes any excess lacquer.
 
The decoration on this covered box is a scene from the woodblock print known as the Gengzhi tu ('Pictures of Tilling and Weaving'). Although the maker of the box has taken some liberties in his design, the overall depiction remains a faithful copy of the woodblock print, possibly that found in the edition commissioned by the Kangxi emperor and produced in 1696 by the court painter Jiao Bingzhen. The depiction of the different stages of seri and agri-culture was used as reference material to farming as well as a metaphor for a well organized and ruled Confucian society. Interestingly, Jiao was employed by the Imperial Board of Astronomy and was one of the first Chinese artists to study Western style prospective and painting technique under the European missionary artists serving on the board at the time. As seen from the prints and this box, European influence is evident in his illustrations.

The decoration is finely executed with artistry and technical precision which suggests that the box is possibly by master artisan Jiang Qianli (1700-1750), also known as Qiushui, who was active in the 17th century. See an inlaid covered box by Jiang illustrated in Gerard Tsang and Hugh Moss, Arts from the Scholar's Studio, Hong Kong, 1986, pl. 144, where the authors discuss the exceptional skill displayed in the fine inlay work. Compare another box and cover by Jiang included in the exhibition 2000 Years of Chinese Lacquer, The Art Gallery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 1993, cat. no. 97.