A Superbly Carved Cinnabar Lacquer 'Wang Xizhi and Geese' Brushpot Qing Dynasty, Qianlong Period

of cylindrical form, fitted with a lacquer base raised on four short ruyi feet, skilfully carved around the exterior in various levels of relief with a continuous figural landscape arboured with verdant vegetation against a diaper ground, Wang Xizhi, the greatest of calligraphers, resting in a pavilion retreat next to a pond and looking out at six geese swimming towards jagged rockwork while a boy crosses a low bridge from across the river near a hut set amidst large wutong trees, the pedestal decorated with a floral diaper ground, the interior and base lacquered black

Collection of Thomas Navatril, Zurich.
Spink & Son, London, 1983, label no. 10.
Sydney L. Moss Ltd., London, 1999.

Paul Moss, Escape From The Dusty World: Chinese Paintings and Literati Works of Art, Sydney L. Moss Ltd., London,1999, p. 218, pl. 59.

Overall good condition, with just minor surface wear and shrinkage at the rims. The upper rim of the brush pot has been relacquered in the past, and this relacquering has slightly faded to a lighter orange-red. The colour of the lacquer is a slightly darker red than in the catalogue photo.
"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 exceptionally carved brushpot belongs to a small group of carved lacquer brushpots of slender cylindrical form, carved in high relief with figures in a richly detailed landscape. It is comparable to another Qianlong brushpot from the Qing Court Collection, preserved in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, included in the exhibition Heguang ticai. Gugong zang qi / Carving the Subtle Radiance of Colors: Treasured Lacquerware in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, 2008, p. 144, cat. no. 149.

See also an example in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Zhongguo meishu quanji gongyi meishu bian [The complete collection of Chinese arts], vol. 8: Qiqi [Lacquer], Beijing, 1989, cat. no. 187 (fig. 1), as well as Weng Wan-go and Yang Boda, The Palace Museum, Peking, London, 1982, pl. 170, where the authors note that this ‘Tang-tradition of hard-edged carving, but with a new emphasis on fine detail’ was revived during the Ming period and reached its zenith in the 18th century (p. 271). Compare two further examples of larger lacquer brushpots, but carved in lower relief than the present with figures in landscape settings, illustrated in Carved Lacquer in the Palace Museum, Beijing, 1985, pls. 341 and 279; and another sold in these rooms, 7th October 2010, lot 2173.

The subject matter of Wang Yizhi and geese is an allusion employed by many scholars to represent leisurely life. The carving of this brushpot is extremely fine and meticulous, combining both the robust texture of the early Ming dynasty with the sharp precision of the late Ming dynasty. It is swift and intricate, giving the scene and the figures a sense of intimation, animation and dynamism.