PROVENANCE:
1. Christie's South Kensington 18 May, 2012, lot1108
2. Sotheby's London 24 October, 1967, lot36
3. The Fryers Collection of Chinese Art
9033
A PAIR OF GILT-SPLASHED BRONZE TRIPOD CENSERS WITH DRAGON HANDLES
Qing Dynasty |
A pair of bronze censers sharing a similar style to one another. These meticulously crafted bronze works come in a color redolent of Buddhist sculpture and are decorated with gilt. They feature a flat mouth, narrow neck, low shoulders, drum abdominal, round base, and and three tapered, cylindrical legs. At the center of the base are the six characters, Made in the Xuande Period of Ming Dynasty, arranged in two rows and columns. The mouths of the censers are flanked by two decorative dragons whose backs are facing outward to serve as handles. These dragons have their four paws gripping the rim of the censer's mouth and feature slender bodies, protruding spins, structured scales, and two-pronged tails. The mighty yet mysterious dragons feature lion noses, horns, spindle eyes, and long whiskers, imbuing these works with a unique quality. Most bronze censers are created in a minimalist style and Qing censers also echo the aesthetic values of their era. Aside from its simplicity and elegance, this pair of bronze censers push artistic boundaries with their unique dragon handles and gilt decorations, giving the work its luxurious quality. This is what sets these censers apart from other works of their kind. |
Estimate
800,000 - 1,200,000 3,239,000 - 4,858,000 103,200 - 154,700
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