A Large Pair of Cloisonné Enamel Tibetan-Style Ewer and Cover, Duomuhu Qing Dynasty, Kangxi Period

each with a cylindrical body divided into four sections by horizontal gilt-copper bands, all below a lobed crown rim resembling a monk’s cap, set with an enamelled curved spout issuing from the mouth of a gilded mythical beast, opposite an 'S'-curved dragon handle terminating with a scaly up-turned fish tail, the lower three registers each enamelled with a pair of confronting five-clawed dragons writhing amongst ruyi cloud scrolls and flame wisps in pursuit of flaming pearls on a bed of tumultuous waves crashing on rocky mountains, all reserved against a turquoise ground, the top crown similarly decorated on the front with a frontal red dragon curled around a flaming pearl amongst cloud scrolls and flame wisps, the reverse with a flaming pearl amongst cloud scrolls, the gently domed gilt-copper cover set with a bud finial

Both ewers have pitting to the surface, general surface wear, rubbing to the gilding and enamel losses and areas of infilling. Both covers appear to be later replacements. Both have oxidisation to the interior. Right ewer: The handle of the ewer has been broken off and reattached, with retouching around the joins. There is a bruise to the underside of the spout, with corresponding losses and infilling. The base is slightly dented. Left ewer: There is a bruise to the side of the spout, with corresponding enamel losses. The base is dented.
"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."

This ewer possesses a dynamic imperial quality through the repeated design of five-clawed dragons, which is in direct contrast to its original purely utilitarian prototype. Duomuhu, meaning ‘bucket for snow’ in Tibetan, were used in Tibet for storing butter and making the traditional buttered tea for Buddhist ceremonies. Originally made of wood with metal bands, the rudimentary vessel has been transformed into a rich imperial piece appropriate for use at the court through its reinterpretation into cloisonné.

A closely related example, in the George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum, Springfield, Massachusetts, was included in the exhibition Cloisonné: Chinese Enamels from the Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties, Bard Graduate Centre, New York, 2011, cat. no. 90; one was exhibited in Chinese Cloisonné. The Pierre Uldry Collection, Asia Society Galleries, New York, 1989, cat. no. 159; another was sold in our New York rooms, 21^st/22^nd September 2005, lot 212; and a fourth example was sold at Christie’s London, 3^rd December 1973, lot 234. A ewer of this type, but the body divided into four narrower horizontal sections, from the collection of A.C. Kemp, was sold in our London rooms, 7^th May 1963, lot 85.

For examples of duomuhu made in different media, see a faux-bois copy included in the exhibition China. The Three Emperors, Royal Academy, London, 2005, cat. no. 55; and a gilded-copper ewer, from the Tibet Museum, included in the exhibition Treasures from Snow Mountains. Gems of Tibetan Cultural Relics, Shanghai Museum, Shanghai, 2001, cat. no. 105.

Transforming a humble wooden ritual utensil into a splendid imperial ceremonial vessel was a deliberate act on the part of the Kangxi emperor to express his utmost devotion and political commitment to the patronage of Tibetan Buddhism. Tibetan Buddhism was deep-rooted in the Qing court, with the Fifth Dalai Lama’s visit in 1652 during the reign of Kangxi’s father, Shunzhi (r. 1643-61) marking the first important state visit of a Tibetan prelate to the Qing court. Kangxi’s mother, also a devotee of Tibetan Buddhism, exerted much influence on him when he came to the throne and his reign is marked by his strong relations with the Khalkha chieftains and the first Jebtsundamba Hukutu Zaanabazar, the highest incarnation of Outer Mongolia, in 1691. Kangxi’s devotion towards Tibetan Buddhism was continued, particularly during the reign of his grandson, Qianlong, whose extravagance in spending on Tibetan religious institutions and ceremonies is well-documented. Drawing from pieces such as the present, he again transformed ritual wares into opulent and sumptuous pieces to express his utmost devotion and political commitment to the patronage of Tibetan Buddhism; see a highly-embellished gold and cloisonné enamel duomuhu in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, published in Enamel Ware in the Ming and Ch’ing Dynasties, Taipei, 1999, pl. 35; and another, included in the exhibition China. The Three Emperors, op. cit., cat. no. 54, and sold in these rooms, 11^th April 2008, lot 1842.