Lot 242
Treasury 6, no. 1126 (‘Visiting the Temple’)
HK$75,000

Famille rose enamels on copper, with gold; with a flat lip and protruding concave foot surrounded by a convex footrim; painted with a continuous design of a riverside temple and associated dwellings set amidst rocky outcrops in a mountainous landscape peopled by two scholars standing beneath a rocky overhang and a boatman punting a partly covered skiff in the foreground; the foot painted in blue with an oval chi-dragon medallion; the interior covered with white enamel; all exposed metal with traces of original gilding
Guangzhou, 1712–1730
Height: 6.94 cm
Mouth/lip: 0.70/1.02 cm
Stopper: malachite; gilt silver collar

Provenance:
J & J Collection
Gerd Lester (1986)

Published:
Treasury 6, no. 1126

Although stylistically this might date from any time during the eighteenth century, one clue suggests it is from the earlier, experimental phase of enamelling at Guangzhou: The only colour used from the new palette is pink, and that is used sparingly. It is used, perhaps a trifle uncomfortably, in combination with iron-red in architectural detail and to represent blossoms on some of the trees. Otherwise, the palette is entirely traditional, as is the style of painting and the subject matter. It resembles a traditional Chinese painting, with figures reduced to humility by the grandeur of nature as people enjoy themselves in an idealized and standard situation – scholars visiting a temple complex in the mountains. The style is entirely linear, other than the distant blue peaks depicted with a wash of colour, also typical of traditional painting. Apart from the distant mountains, all of the colour could be removed and still leave a complete line drawing of the scene. The slightly heavy-handed use of the blue for the distant peaks may be another indication of an early date and of an enameller not yet entirely used to transferring the Chinese painting style he knows so well to an enamelled metal medium he has yet to fully master.

Although somewhat obscured by subsequent restoration, the chi-dragon medallion of the foot is typical of Guangzhou style. This may be an early example, but such chi dragon medallions form a standard feature of southern decorative style throughout the eighteenth century, with the dragons themselves more elaborate and ornate than their northern counterparts.

Apart from the panel discussed under Sale 5, lot 13, and plausibly dated to 1712, no Guangzhou enamels on metal are specifically dated earlier than the Yongzheng period. However, it is likely that some snuff bottles from the earliest phase of production were made to be sent to the court, even if we cannot estimate the volume. The Kangxi emperor showed a keen interest in enamelling, probably as early as the last decade of the seventeenth century, but in any case no later than the first decade of the eighteenth century. He was also an avid snuff taker. If officials in Guangzhou were able to make enamelled metal snuff bottles to a proficient standard, using the new raw materials imported from Europe, we can be fairly certain that some of them would have sought to curry favour with the emperor by sending them north as tribute.

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