archaic bronze

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TEFAF Maastricht 2023 – ‘Chinese Lacquer’ & ‘Archaic Chinese Bronzes & Metalwares’

“Chinese Lacquer”

&

“Archaic Chinese Bronzes & Metalwares”

 

After 8 years, ‘Littleton & Hennessy Asian Art’ will be returning to TEFAF Maastricht with an exhibition showcasing some of the best Asian art from important private collections.

 

Two catalogues will each present an auspicious 8 works of art in all their splendour: 8 important works of ‘Chinese Lacquer’, as well as 8 ‘Archaic and Early Chinese Bronzes’.

Links to the catalogues:

‘Chinese Lacquer’

‘Archaic Chinese Bronzes & Metalwares’

 

‘Chinese Lacquer’

A widely exhibited and published group of early and imperial lacquerware from an important private Asian collection, previously in ‘The Mike Healy Collection of Chinese Lacquer’, many of which were bought from Bluett & Sons and other important dealers.

This group consists of early lacquer from the Song and Yuan dynasty, including a rare octagonal red lacquer ‘bird’ plate (Yuan dynasty, 14th century) [image 1] marked ‘Zhang Cheng’, one of the most famous lacquer carvers of the Yuan period as well as imperial wares from the early Ming dynasty; a superbly carved red lacquer ‘peony’ box (Ming dynasty, Yongle mark and period, 1403-1424) [image 2] and an important carved red lacquer cup stand (Ming dynasty, Yongle mark and period, 1403-1424) [image 3], to name a few.

 

Image 1a & 1b

A superbly carved red lacquer ‘peony’ box (Yongle mark and period, 1403-1424)Image 2

Image 3

‘Archaic Chinese Bronzes & Metalwares’

Furthermore, the gallery will show a collection of archaic and early Chinese bronzes, including an important pagoda-shaped bronze food vessel, ‘Fang Yi’ (Shang dynasty, 11th century B.C.) [image 4], an inscribed bronze sword, attributed to the Son of the famous King of the Kingdom of Yue, Wang Goujian (early Warring States Period, 4th century B.C.) [image 5] and an inscribed bronze food vessel, ‘Fang Gui’ (Mid-Western Zhou dynasty, 9th century B.C.) [image 6].

Image 4

Image 5

Image 6

Further Highlights include;


A rare small gilt-bronze image of Avalokitesvara (Ming dynasty, early 15th century, Xuande period 1426-1435)
Dimensions: 13.3 cm high

 

A gilt-bronze image of Mahakala (Tibeto-Chinese, Ming dynasty, 15th century)
Dimensions: 22.5 cm high

 

A celadon jade reclining horse with brown mottling (late Ming dynasty, 17th century)
Dimensions: 23cm long, 8cm high

 

TEFAF Maastricht 2023

Thursday 9 March through Sunday 19 March

Stand 168

mark@littletonandhennessy.com

Mobile +44 7717 825828

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TEFAF 2007

bronze-figur-of-a-tapirWe are proud to exhibit this rare 2,500 year-old bronze figure of a tapir that miraculously survived a turbulent period of ancient Chinese history. The tapir is a pig-like mammal now classified as an endangered species. This bronze figure of a tapir, exquisitely inlaid with gold and turquoise, is just 10ins tall and 17ins long and was made in about the 4th century BC as a wine vessel. A lid with a ring on its back can be removed to fill the interior with wine that is then poured out through the mouth.

The figure was produced for a wealthy and powerful man. It is inlaid with spiral motifs of gold and turquoise, which would have been extremely expensive, and is also portrays a creature which became extinct in China about 10,000 years ago, long before the zun or wine pourer was made. It is known that Chinese rulers collected rare animals from overseas and the endearingly rotund and gentle tapir, which then, as now, came from Malaysia, would have been the perfect addition to a private zoo. This one appears to be wearing a decorative collar and may have been a royal pet.

The figure’s survival is miraculous. It was made during the Warring States period in China, which lasted from the 5th century BC until the unification of the country by the Qin Dynasty in 221BC. It was an era of chaos and brutality when regional warlords annexed smaller states around them and competed for supremacy with one another. The tapir is one of only two bronzes with such extensive and beautiful inlay known to exist, the other being in a museum in Taiwan.

All that is known about the tapir’s history is that it was in a European private collection by the 1920’s and was exhibited in Berlin in 1929.