AN EXCEPTIONAL IMPERIAL BAMBOO-VENEER 'LONGEVITY' BOX AND COVER QING DYNASTY, QIANLONG PERIOD

superbly carved in the form of two conjoined circular boxes resting on a short foot, the flat top of the cover carved to simulate two interlinked roundels, one of them centred with a medallion enclosing a shou character and carved with two outstretched bats amidst lingzhi-shaped clouds, the other with two large lotus blossoms issuing from meandering stems, all surrounded by a bevelled border of pendent petal lappets, the corresponding sides of the box and cover similarly decorated with soaring bats and lotus scrolls respectively, all above a further bevelled border enclosing upright petal lappets above the short recessed foot, traces of aged label to base reading 'Exposition Retrospective de Lyon'

Gerard Hawthorn Ltd., London.

Oriental Works of Art, Gerard Hawthorn Ltd., London, 2000, cat. no. 93.

This superbly carved box is conceived in the shape of two interlocking rings, symbolising completeness, a motif that acquired popularity during the Ming and Qing dynasties due to its auspiciousness. Bamboo-veneer boxes of this form were held in high esteem and produced for the Imperial Court. For another conjoined circular box of identical size and form from the Qing Court collection, preserved in the Palace Museum, Beijing, with an additional tier and carved with clouds, see Small Refined Articles of the Study. The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Shanghai, 2011, pl. 300. Compare also another box and cover in the Palace Museum, Beijing, but of rhombus form, illustrated in Bamboo, Wood, Ivory and Rhinoceros Horn Carvings. The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Hong Kong, 2002, pl. 72.  All three boxes are characterised by similar intricate low-relief carving, characteristic of the finest quality output from the Palace Workshops.

Works of art produced in the zhuhuang or bamboo-veneer technique involve the separation of the veneer, which is of light yellow colouration and taken from the inner wall of the bamboo stem. The veneer is then applied over a wood core, and is carved in shallow relief. As the colour of the bamboo skin is lighter than wood, the design is left in reserve against the darker background, resulting in an elegant and attractive finish.