Pair of lacquer boxes, China, Qianlong Dynasty (1736-1795)

Pair of lacquer boxes, China, Qianlong Dynasty (1736-1795)

Exceptional couple for the great detail in the size and shape of peach. In the center the character "chun" is represented, on a basket of precious objects, surrounded by rallos and crowned with a medallion with the inscribed Shoulao figure. This central motif is surrounded by five bats flying between dense clouds, these represent the "Five blessings" (五福): a long life, health, love, virtue and a peaceful death. In the fringes that surround the central scene, elements that allude to abundance are repeated: bats, leafy branches, peaches and flowers. The interior and base of the boxes are lacquered in black.

20 cm width

Origin Private family collection France, Lyon

References

Bonhams, November 8, 2012, Lot 27

Sotheby's Hong Kong, October 8, 2010, lot 2642

Sotheby's Hong Kong, April 11, 2008, lot 2866

Notes

Emperor Qianlong especially valued the boxes with the representation of eternal spring, the character "chun" and the image of Shoulao, god of longevity, so he commissioned at least eighteen versions of longevity boxes. These types of boxes repeat the same compositional scheme that aims to represent luck, youth, abundance, the five blessings and eternal spring. Also, the peach form is within the same meaning of spring and good luck. The function of these boxes is to contain precious objects and treasures as a bowl of abundance, also represented on the front. Finally, it is worth mentioning that when done with numerous layers of carved cinnabar lacquer, the richness is again mentioned.

Some similar pieces are exhibited in important museums, such as the Metropolitan Museum in New York and the Imperial Collection in Beijing and Taipei.