J.J. Lally & Co., Oriental Art / New York City, New York
MenuPast Exhibition
ELEGANTLY MADE: Art for the Chinese Literati
March 13-27, 2020
15.
A GOLD AND SILVER INLAID BRONZE MYTHICAL BEAST PAPERWEIGHT
Late Ming – Early Qing Dynasty, 17th Century
heavily cast, the exotic feline guardian beast seated on its haunches with head held up and turned sharply back in an alert attitude with eyes fixed in a steady gaze under curly brows, finely inlaid in gold and silver with flame motifs on the flanks, hair markings on the chest, backbone and bushy tail, the top of the head inlaid with ruyi motifs, the base polished flat.
Length 2 3⁄8 inches (6 cm)
Height 2 inches (5.1 cm)
Provenance
From the Collection of Robert Hall, London, before 1975
Shuisongshi Shanfang Collection
Exhibited
Fung Ping Shan Museum, Hong Kong, 1986
Published
Tsang and Moss, Arts from the Scholar’s Studio, Hong Kong, 1986, pp. 236-237, no. 225
This finely inlaid paperweight is an echo of the small bronze weights in the form of exotic animals and mythical beasts made during the Warring States period and throughout the Han dynasty to hold down the corners of floor mats used as seating. The high quality of these small sculptures and the use of precious metals conveyed the sophistication and social status of their owners. In the Song and later dynasties Chinese scholars valued the ancient weights as works of art and used them as scroll weights or paperweights. In response to the popularity of the rare ancient weights, Ming dynasty artisans created similar weights for use in the scholar’s studio.
明末清初十七世紀 銅錯金銀瑞獸鎮紙 長 6 厘米 高 5.1 厘米
來源 倫敦 Robert Hall 舊藏，1975 年以前
水松石山房藏
展覽 香港大學馮平山博物館，1986
出版 Tsang 及 Moss〈文玩萃珍〉，香港大學馮平山博物館，1986 年，
236-237 頁，225 號
