Description: A CHINESE CHAMPLEVE ENAMELLED GILT BRONZE SYMBOLIC OFFERING QIANLONG (1735-1796) OR JIAQING (1796-1820) PERIOD
The symbolic altar offering cast in gilt bronze with champleve enamel details, of one of the seven regal Buddhist symbols, the Queen, here depicted kneeling, her hands before her in anjalimudra, on an elaborate triple-lotus base in Qianlong rococo style, with champleve enamel details, which sits atop a pedestal featuring the character 'shou', surrounded by four champleve enamel leaves, which in turn sit above an enamelled cosmic ocean, enclosed within a ruyi-motif pierced gallery border above a double lotus base.
37cm high, 10cm wide
PROVENANCE:
Soo Tze Oriental Antiques, 1999.
LITERATURE:
For similar pieces please see: A Special Exhibition of Buddhist Gilt Votive Objects, National Palace Museum, Catalogue 22-5, 23-5, 25-5, 26 and 28; and Buddhist Art from Rehol, Jeff Hsu's Oriental Art, 1999, plate 69.
OTHER NOTES:
Judging from the style of the image, and the quality of the casting and gilding and champleve enamel work, and specifically the style of the lotus base, this work is probably from one of the Imperial temples in Beijing.
Condition Report: Condition:
Some minor losses to the champleve enamel, some minor wear to gilding. The offering slants very slightly to one side. The opinions expressed in the condition reports are a guide only and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Prospective buyers are encouraged to inspect articles for sale at our pre-sale viewing where Leonard Joel staff are available for advice. Leonard Joel makes no guarantee of the originality of mechanical or applied components. Absence of reference to such modifications does not imply that a lot is free from modifications.