南宋 黑漆嵌螺鈿及絞絲銅線魚龍逐珠紋大蓋盒
A unique and highly important mother-of-pearl and twisted-wire inlaid lacquer 'fish-dragon' box and cover, Southern Song dynasty
流拍～
Premium Lot
October 29, 02:00 PM HKT
Estimate
12,000,000 - 30,000,000 HKD
本品流拍
A unique and highly important mother-of-pearl and twisted-wire inlaid lacquer 'fish-dragon' box and cover
Southern Song dynasty
專場成交細節紀錄參考：
南宋 黑漆嵌螺鈿及絞絲銅線魚龍逐珠紋大蓋盒
of circular form, the substantial box and cover exquisitely inlaid with iridescent mother-of-pearl against a rich black lacquered ground, the flat cover centred with a ferocious three-clawed, winged fish-dragon, characterized by two stout legs and a split fishtail, the majestic wyvern portrayed in a vigorous pose with its sinuous, scaly body arched into a striking C-formation as it reaches for a flaming pearl that hovers above, and wreathed by a ring of wispy clouds, the central medallion thoughtfully framed by a border of spuming and spattering waves, meticulously arranged with each crest and trough detailed with fine lines and specks, accented with fine twisted wires delineating the central medallion and the waves register, the sides of the cover and box beautifully encircled by intricate composite floral scrolls, featuring an array of blossoms elegantly intertwined with lush, verdant leaves, further accentuated by fine twisted-wires along the borders, the interior and base lacquered red, Japanese wood box
d. 39 cm
Condition Report
The exceptional box is in very good overall condition. There are expected minor flakes to the fragile edges and minor losses to the lacquer and mother-of-pearl inlay, some lightly retouched, including the fragile edges of the cover and box, and around the flaming pearl. A few areas of the mother-of-pearl inlay may have been reinforced, such as the dragon's tail and wing.
蓋盒整體品相良好。邊沿處見些許正常剝落，漆面及和螺鈿見些許小損，部分稍經潤飾，包括蓋盒邊沿及蓋面火珠處。部分螺鈿或經加固，如龍尾及龍翼處。
Provenance
A Japanese aristocratic family collection.
Bo shishaku-ka Gozohin nyusatsu [Auction of an aristocratic family collection], Tokyo Art Club, 8th March 1920, lot 188.
日本子爵家族收藏
《某子爵家御藏品入札》，東京美術俱樂部，1920年3月8日，編號188
Exhibited
Daibi meihin ten: Osaka bijutsu kurabu soritsu hyaku shunen kinen [Osaka Art Club centenary exhibition of masterpieces], Osaka Art Club, Osaka, 2010, cat. no. 106.
《大美名品展 : 大阪美術倶楽部創立百周年記念》，大阪美術俱樂部，大阪，2010年，編號106
中國漆器歷史補闕
康蕊君
蓋盒尺寸碩大，光燦輝耀，獨一無二，見證珠母貝鑲嵌漆器，鮮為人知的早期發展，若非本品，此段歷史幾無存世之例。珠母貝虹光閃耀，取自一類貝殼的內壁，尤以珍珠貝為多，遂得其名珠母。如此璀燦光澤，對比深濃的黑漆，唐代以前已可見之，此時，銅鏡背後常髹黑漆，漆層較銅更易於鑲嵌金、銀或其他珍貴材質。參考河南陝縣唐墓出土一黑漆嵌螺鈿銅鏡，現藏於北京中國國家博物館，出版於《中國漆器全集》，卷4，福州，1998年，編號53（圖一）。
存世的紋飾繁複，鑲嵌珠貝的漆作蓋盒，可溯至十世紀，佛塔出土二件黑漆嵌螺鈿經箱，足證其珍，見同上，編號59，飾佛教紋飾，出自浙江湖州飛英塔，銘文紀年吳越國（907-960年）；及同上，編號60，江蘇蘇州瑞光塔出土黑漆經箱，鑲嵌螺鈿作花卉紋（圖二）。一如前述唐代銅鏡，以上作例之珠貝，較為大片且厚，色白微光，依照紋飾輪廓剪裁，細節則運用細刻，著錄描述瑞光塔漆箱的三蕊花卉紋飾，各別為二十來片，大小不一的珠貝組成—若與後期的螺鈿鑲嵌漆作相比，可謂九牛一毛。
北京元大都遺址出土黑漆嵌螺鈿殘件，同上，編號166（圖三），是下一件時代明確的樣本，紋飾描寫雲上亭閣，仙境美景。不同於前述經箱，使用大貝片，剪出佛陀輪廓，或整蕊花頭、葉片等，此處工匠運用成千上百片，細小、如紙薄的珠貝，精密拼構出建築物、繁複精美的欄杆、古木枝葉茂盛，與祥雲流淌其間，萬物皆虹光燦爛。然而，從五代經箱到元代螺鈿，這之間三百餘年，珠貝鑲嵌漆藝究竟是如何演變，雖然幾無線索，但兩相比較之下，工藝在這段時間內，無疑已大幅成長。傳世宋代漆器多素淨無紋，但元代螺鈿亦非橫空出世；遂可推論，十世紀至十三世紀之間，珠貝鑲嵌工藝不斷演進，精益求精，直至元大都出土樣本之貌。
李經澤與胡世昌，仔細爬梳早期鑲嵌螺鈿漆作之史籍，整理出五處相關之宋代文獻，見〈宋代螺鈿漆器和大英博物館珍藏的一件嵌螺鈿漆碟〉，初發表於2002年，後再刊於《疊彩：抱一齋藏中國漆器》，香港中文大學文物館，2010年，頁156-7。作者總結論述，「北宋時期，無可置疑，宋代已有螺鈿漆器。北宋期間中國螺鈿漆器，可能不若日本的工巧」，及「南宋螺鈿漆器產地之一有可能是杭州與福州」，並載錄殘螺鈿圓漆盒，綴花卉紋，出土於山西大同馮道真墓葬，紀年1265年，頁162，圖5a、b，然而此處紋飾多為漆繪，僅見少數大貝片鑲嵌。同錄倫敦大英博物館藏一折枝花卉紋黑漆盤，頁163，圖6a-f，斷為南宋。作者特別指出，此盤鑲嵌絞絲銅線，本品亦同，呼應十四世紀《格古要論》，「宋朝內府中物及舊做者俱是堅漆，或有嵌銅線者甚佳」。
本品無見相應作例存世，無論是龍紋、海浪、花卉紋皆與眾不同，須廣覽研究之。紋飾主體為三爪魚龍，雙足、羽翼、魚尾雙叉，此形象可溯自早期的類魚神獸，軀體更短壯，蜷曲如「C」形，可見於五代越窰瓷器，或是唐、遼銀器。
宋金時期，帶翼魚龍形象甚少，若得一見，其身軀較往例更長，呈「S」形，一如本品。類同翼龍紋飾，參考東方陶瓷學會展覽，《雲行雨施：中國龍文物》，香港中文大學文物館，2019年，頁153；其他如一定窰模印盤殘件，銘文「尚食局」，為宮中掌管御膳處，出土於定窰遺址金代地層，見《中國古瓷窰大系：中國定窰》，北京，2012年，圖版145，頁269，圖35。另一件相類龍紋，無足，見於內蒙古達茂旗墓葬出土金錦緞殘件，其織法盛行於金至元代，見劉珂艷，《元代紡織品紋樣研究》，上海，2018年，編號3-36，並見，頁38-39（圖四）。
宋時，四足、無翼的五爪龍紋，逐漸盛行，同時仍可見到類同本品的龍紋形象，比較宋仁宗（1022-1063年在位）陵寢，永昭陵之石柱雕刻，游龍翻騰於祥雲之間，雲紋由短而曲弧的線條構成，線描圖刊載於《北宋皇陵》，中州，1997年，頁142，圖120（圖五），類圖並刊於護封。龍紋發展至元代，身軀更加拉長，扭轉蟠結，參考東京國立博物館收藏螺鈿龍紋漆盤，斷為元物，出版於《中国の螺鈿》，東京，1981年，編號7，此為日本重要文化財（圖六）。然而，與本品龍紋最相近者，見於宋、金文物。
環繞龍紋的洶湧海浪、飛濺水花，紋飾設計經高度形式化，極為罕見，但遙遙呼應元代青花瓷上的海浪紋，尤其一青花瓷瓶，載於康蕊君，《Early Chinese Blue-and-White Porcelain. The Mingzhitang Collection of Sir Joseph Hotung》，香港，2022，編號2。
此螺鈿龍紋蓋盒周沿所飾花卉紋，未見於其他螺鈿作例，卻類同台北故宮藏蘇漢臣（十二世紀）〈貨郎圖〉中描繪的二黑漆長方盒紋飾，見《畫琳瑯：貨郎圖特展》，台北，2021年，見細部頁22、23（圖七）。花卉紋以盛開繁花點綴於各式枝葉之間，此為典型南宋紋飾，使用期間甚短，元代幾不復見。作例如，日本收藏存世最早的中國雕漆盤之內外盤壁，斷代南宋， 展出於《宋元の美: 伝来の漆器を中心に》，根津美術館，東京，2004年，編號79-82，分別藏於東京國立博物館、鐮倉圓覺寺、名古屋政秀寺，及私人收藏，其中圓覺寺藏例，明確記年1279，列屬日本重要文化財（圖八）。
本品花卉紋且呼應南宋羅緞與刺繡紋樣，多見於仕女服裝的邊沿。福建福州近郊的南宋黃昇墓，記年1243年，黃昇乃侍郎之妻且為要官之女，陪葬豐厚，包含許多此類織品，見《福州南宋黃昇墓》，北京，1982年，彩圖檔4、5，及線描圖，頁113，圖62，頁114，圖64（圖九）。
相類器形的黑漆螺鈿蓋盒，多飾樓閣人物題材，斷為元代，如東京國立博物館與神戶白鶴美術館藏品，錄於《中国の螺鈿》，前述出處，編號17、19。
綜觀其工藝風格，此黑漆嵌螺鈿龍紋蓋盒，精確反映出南宋審美，螺鈿漆作產於中國東南，其工藝技術亦吻合當時的發展歷史。以此歸結，本品得以補闕中國漆器工藝歷史上至今仍空白的一頁篇章。
Filling a Blank in China’s Lacquer Story
Regina Krahl
This resplendent large lacquer box is totally unique and illustrates an important phase in the early development of nacre-inlaid lacquer wares, which otherwise presents an almost complete blank, since hardly any examples are extant. That the iridescent, shimmering material from the inner walls of certain shells, particularly those producing pearls – thus the name mother-of-pearl – provides a stunning contrast to mat, pitch-black lacquer has been realized in China at least since the Tang dynasty (618-907). At that time, bronze mirrors were covered with layers of lacquer at the back which could be much more easily inlaid with gold, silver or other precious materials than the bronze itself. A bronze mirror with a mother-of-pearl dragon inlaid on a lacquer ground has been excavated from a Tang tomb at Houchuan, Shanxian, Henan province and is now in the National Museum of China, Beijing, illustrated in Zhongguo qiqi quanji [Complete series on Chinese lacquer], vol. 4, Fuzhou, 1998, no. 53 (fig. 1).
From the tenth century already, lacquer boxes with complex designs inlaid in shell are preserved. Two lacquer sutra boxes decorated in this way have been discovered enshrined in pagodas, attesting to the precious nature of such work; see ibid., no. 59 for fragments of a casket decorated with Buddhist scenes from the Feiying pagoda in Huzhou, Zhejiang, which bears an inscription dating it to the Wuyue kingdom (907–978), a state in China’s southeast with its capital at Hangzhou, at the time of the Five Dynasties (907-960); and ibid., no. 60, a black lacquer box from the Ruiguang pagoda in Suzhou, Jiangsu, now in the Suzhou City Museum, inlaid with floral motifs (fig. 2). Like on the Tang mirrors, the inlays here consist of large and fairly thick pieces of white, more or less shiny shell, cut-out to form silhouette motifs, which did not allow for the rendering of details other than through incising; the latter publication mentions that the three flower motifs on the cover of the box are each composed of more than twenty pieces of shell of different sizes – a minute number if compared with the typical nacre-inlaid lacquer wares of later periods.
FIG. 1. A MOTHER-OF-PEARL INLAID 'DRAGON' LACQUERED BRONZE MIRROR, TANG DYNASTY, EXCAVATED IN SHAANXIAN, HENAN
圖一 唐 黑漆嵌螺鈿龍紋銅鏡 河南陝縣後川出土
FIG. 2. A MOTHER-OF-PEARL INLAID 'FLOWER AND BIRD' LACQUER SUTRA BOX, FIVE DYNASTIES, EXCAVATED AT RUIGUANG PAGODA, SUZHOU
圖二 五代 黑漆嵌螺鈿花鳥紋經箱 蘇州瑞光塔出土
The next securely datable piece of shell-inlaid lacquer is a fragment showing pavilions among trees and clouds depicted in great detail, that has been discovered at the site of Yuan Dadu, the main capital of the Yuan dynasty (1271-1368) in modern Beijing; ibid., no. 166 (fig. 3). Instead of the few large pieces of shell inlaid in the sutra boxes, cut out to depict complete Buddha figures, and whole flower-heads and leaves but leaving out the delicate stems, craftsmen have here cut out thousands of tiny, paper-thin flecks of mother-of-pearl to depict complex features of architecture, ornate pierced balustrades, trees with delicate foliage and wispy clouds, all shimmering in iridescent colours. From the period of some three-hundred years between the sutra boxes and this fragment, very little is known about this exquisite craft of shell-inlaid lacquer; but when comparing the two, it is obvious how much the workmanship developed in that span of time. While lacquer in the Song dynasty (960-1279) may have been predominantly plain, the fine shell-inlay seen on the Yuan fragment cannot have appeared out of nowhere; between the tenth and the thirteenth century, the technique must have been constantly refined to arrive at the level seen on the fragment from Dadu.
FIG. 3. A FRAGMENTARY MOTHER-OF-PEARL INLAID LACQUER DISH, YUAN DYNASTY, DISCOVERED AT THE SITE OF YUAN DADU, THE MAIN CAPITAL OF THE YUAN DYNASTY. AFTER: ZHONGGUO QIQI QUANJI [COMPLETE SERIES ON CHINESE LACQUER], VOL. 4, FUZHOU, 1998, NO. 166
圖三 元 黑漆嵌螺鈿盤殘件 北京西城西直門後英房元大都遺址出土 出處：《中國漆器全集》，卷4，福州，1998年，編號166
Lee King-Tsi and Hu Shi-chang scrutinized textual evidence for early mother-of-pearl inlaid lacquer ware and found five references to the subject from the Song dynasty, see ‘Song Dynasty Mother-of-Pearl Inlay Lacquers and a Dish in the British Museum’, originally published in 2002 and reprinted in Layered Beauty. The Baoyizhai Collection of Chinese Lacquer, Art Museum, Institute of Chinese Studies, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2010, pp. 156-7. They came to the conclusion that “There is little doubt that mother-of-pearl inlay lacquer was produced during the Song dynasty although during the Northern Song period, Japanese products might have been superior to Chinese ones.” and “In Southern Song dynasty, mother-of-pearl inlay lacquer was probably produced in Hangzhou and Fuzhou.” They illustrate fragments of a lacquer box with a flower design from the tomb of Feng Daozhen, who died in 1265 and was buried in Datong, Shanxi province, p. 162, fig. 5a and b, but the design seems largely painted, with only a few larger pieces of shell inlaid. They also publish a black lacquer dish inlaid with a flower spray in the collection of the British Museum, p. 163, figs 6a-f, which they attribute to the Southern Song dynasty (1127-1279). They make the special point that the dish is inlaid with twisted wires – as is the present box – since the fourteenth-century collector’s handbook Gegu yaolun (‘Essential criteria of antiquities’) states that “mother-of-pearl inlay lacquer for the Song imperial household was made of very fine lacquer and those with copper wires are amongst the best”.
There are virtually no comparisons for the present box among extant lacquer wares; its dragon, waves and composite flower scrolls are extremely unusual in almost every respect. So, we have to look elsewhere to understand it. The three-clawed fish-dragon, which forms the main feature, with two legs, wings and a split fish tail has developed from earlier, more fish-like creatures with much stouter and shorter bodies, curved in a simple C-formation, as are seen, for example, on Five Dynasties Yue ware as well as on Tang and Liao (907-1125) silver.
In the Song and Jin (1115-1234) dynasties, winged fish-dragons are fairly rare, but where they appear, their bodies have become elongated and are twisted in an S-shape, as on the present box.
Very similar winged dragons are decorating, for example, a Song gold plaque included in the exhibition Divine Power. The Dragon in Chinese Art, The Oriental Ceramic Society of Hongkong at the Art Museum, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 2019, catalogue p. 153; others appear on fragments of moulded Ding dishes inscribed Shangshiju, referring to the government’s Food Service, excavated from the Jin stratum of the Ding kiln site, see Zhongguo gu ciyao daxi. Zhongguo Dingyao/Series of China’s Ancient Porcelain Kiln Sites: Ding Kiln of China, Beijing, 2012, pl. 145 and p. 269, fig. 35. A related dragon, but without legs, can also be seen on a gold-brocade textile fragment from a tomb in Damao Banner, Inner Mongolia, which is said to be woven in a manner prevalent from the Jin to the Yuan dynasty, see Liu Keyan, Yuandai fangzhipin wenyang yanjiu/Textile Pattern in Yuan Dynasty, Shanghai, 2018, no. 3-36, illustrated as a colour plate, as well as on pp. 38 and 39 (fig. 4).
The Chinese five-clawed long dragon with four legs and no wings became prevalent in the Song dynasty, but was then often still depicted in a very similar stance as on the present box; compare, for example, a dragon carved on a stone pillar at Yongzhaoling, the mausoleum of Song Emperor Renzong (r. 1022-1063), where the surrounding clouds are also similarly rendered through a series of short curved lines, illustrated in a line drawing in Bei Song huang ling/The Imperial Tombs of the Northern Song Dynasty, Zhongzhou, 1997, p. 142, fig. 120 (fig. 5), with a similar image also printed on the dust jacket. In the Yuan dynasty, the body of the classic long dragon became more elaborately coiled. A dragon of that type is inlaid on a bracket-lobed lacquer tray in the Tokyo National Museum that is attributed to the Yuan dynasty; see Chūgoku no raden [Chinese mother-of-pearl], Tokyo National Museum, Tokyo, 1981, no. 7, registered in Japan as Important Cultural Property (fig. 6). The dragons closest to those on the box, therefore, are found in the Song and Jin dynasties.
The highly stylized spuming and spattering waves surrounding the dragon are most unusual, but call to mind the way waves are sometimes rendered on Yuan blue-and-white porcelain, particularly on a bottle illustrated in Regina Krahl, Early Chinese Blue-and-White Porcelain. The Mingzhitang Collection of Sir Joseph Hotung, n.p. (Hong Kong), 2022, no. 2.
The superbly delicate and varied mixed flower scrolls around the sides of our box are not known from extant shell-inlay lacquer pieces, but they appear on two rectangular black lacquer boxes depicted on the cart of a knickknack peddler in a painting attributed to Su Hanchen (active twelfth century) in the Palace Museum, Taipei; see Gems of Painting. Pictures of Knick-knack Peddlers, Taipei, 2021, no. 2, see the detail pp. 22-3 (fig. 7). Such compositions of flowers with many small blossoms among a profusion of leaves are most characteristic of Southern Song works of art. They appear for only a short period of time and do not seem to have survived into the Yuan dynasty. They are seen, for example, on China’s earliest carved lacquer wares, which can be dated to the Southern Song period, thus around the inner and outer sides of several famous dishes in Japan that were included in the exhibition Sō Gen no bi. Denrai no shikki to chūshin ni/The Colors and Forms of Song and Yuan China. Featuring Lacquerwares, Ceramics, and Metalwares, Nezu Institute of Fine Arts, Tokyo, 2004, cat. nos 79-82, from the Tokyo National Museum, the Engaku-ji, Kamakura, the Seishū-ji, Nagoya, and a private collection, respectively; the Engaku-ji dish can be firmly dated prior to 1279 and is registered in Japan as Important Cultural Property (fig. 8).
These floral borders are also directly echoed in woven and embroidered textile ribands of the Southern Song period, that were used as borders on ladies’ garments. Many such examples have been recovered from the richly appointed tomb of Huang Sheng, wife of an imperial clansman and magistrate, and daughter of a supervisor of foreign trade, who died in 1243 and was buried near Fuzhou, Fujian province; see Fuzhou Nan Song Huang Sheng mu/Thirteenth-Century Tomb near Fuzhou, Beijing, 1982, passim, particularly col. pls 4 and 5 and line drawings, p. 113, fig. 62 and p. 114, fig. 64 (fig. 9).
Other early black lacquer boxes of this form inlaid in mother-of-pearl are generally decorated with outdoor scenes with figures among pavilions, and attributed to the Yuan dynasty; compare two such pieces, in the Tokyo National Museum and the Hakutsuru Fine Art Museum, Kobe, respectively, in Chūgoku no raden, op.cit., nos 17 and 19.
In its artistic style, this lacquer box and cover accurately reflects the taste of the Southern Song dynasty, when nacre-inlaid lacquer is known to have been produced in south-eastern China, and in its workmanship it conforms to the state of this art in this period. It thus occupies a place in the history of Chinese lacquer wares that so far has been virtually vacant.
Timeline of Mother-of-Pearl Inlaid Lacquerware in China
Tang Dynasty (618-907)
Early Tang: Bronze mirrors inlaid with mother-of-pearl dragons on a lacquered ground are produced (e.g., mirror excavated from a Tang tomb in Houchuan, Shanxian, Henan province).
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period (907-960)
Wuyue kingdom (907-978): Fragments of a lacquer sutra box decorated with Buddhist scenes in mother-of-pearl are enshrined in the Feiying pagoda in Huzhou, Zhejiang.
Unknown Date: A black lacquer sutra box inlaid with floral motifs in mother-of-pearl is enshrined in the Ruiguang pagoda in Suzhou, Jiangsu.
Song Dynasty (960-1279)
Northern Song Period (960-1127): Mother-of-pearl inlaid lacquerware is produced, but Japanese products are potentially superior.
Reign of Emperor Renzong (1022-1063): Stone pillars at the Yongzhaoling mausoleum feature carved dragons with surrounding clouds rendered in a style similar to later mother-of-pearl inlaid lacquerware.
12th Century: The painter Su Hanchen depicts rectangular black lacquer boxes inlaid with mother-of-pearl and decorated with composite flower scrolls in his artwork.
Southern Song Period (1127-1279):Mother-of-pearl inlaid lacquerware is likely produced in Hangzhou and Fuzhou.
Production of China's earliest carved lacquer wares, featuring floral designs similar to those found on mother-of-pearl inlaid pieces.
Woven and embroidered textile ribands with floral designs mirroring those on lacquerware are used as borders on women's clothing.
A black lacquer dish inlaid with a flower spray and twisted copper wires is created (now in the British Museum collection).
1243: Huang Sheng, wife of an imperial clansman, is buried near Fuzhou, Fujian province. Her tomb contains textile ribands with intricate floral designs.
1265: Feng Daozhen is buried in Datong, Shanxi province. His tomb contains fragments of a lacquer box with a primarily painted flower design and a few inlaid mother-of-pearl pieces.
Jin Dynasty (1115-1234)
Unknown Dates: Winged fish-dragons with elongated, S-shaped bodies appear on various artifacts, including a Song gold plaque, fragments of molded Ding dishes, and a gold-brocade textile fragment.
Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368)
Early Yuan: A fragmentary lacquer dish depicting pavilions, trees, and clouds in detailed mother-of-pearl inlay is discovered at the site of Yuan Dadu (modern Beijing).
Unknown Dates:Black lacquer boxes decorated with outdoor scenes and figures in mother-of-pearl inlay become prevalent.
A bracket-lobed lacquer tray inlaid with a classic long dragon is created (now in the Tokyo National Museum).
Blue-and-white porcelain features stylized wave patterns similar to those found on some lacquer pieces.
14th Century: The collector’s handbook Gegu yaolun (“Essential criteria of antiquities”) states that Song imperial mother-of-pearl inlaid lacquerware was of high quality and that pieces with copper wires were considered among the best.
20th Century:
March 8, 1920: A unique mother-of-pearl and twisted-wire inlaid lacquer ‘fish-dragon’ box and cover from the Southern Song dynasty is auctioned off at the Tokyo Art Club as part of an aristocratic family collection.
21st Century:
2010: The Southern Song 'fish-dragon' box and cover is exhibited at the Osaka Art Club centenary exhibition of masterpieces.
Cast of Characters
Artisans and Craftsmen:
Unnamed Tang Dynasty lacquer artists: Responsible for creating the early mother-of-pearl inlaid lacquerware, particularly the bronze mirrors with inlaid dragons.
Unnamed Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period lacquer artists: Created the early mother-of-pearl inlaid sutra boxes, showcasing the development of this craft.
Unnamed Song Dynasty lacquer artists: Refined the techniques of mother-of-pearl inlay, achieving a high level of detail and artistry. They were likely based in Hangzhou and Fuzhou.
Unnamed Yuan Dynasty lacquer artists: Continued the tradition of mother-of-pearl inlay, creating intricate pieces with outdoor scenes and figures.
Historical Figures:
Emperor Renzong (r. 1022-1063): Song Dynasty emperor whose mausoleum, Yongzhaoling, features stone pillars with carved dragons that predate and foreshadow the style of later mother-of-pearl inlaid dragons.
Su Hanchen (active 12th Century): Southern Song Dynasty painter whose artwork provides visual evidence of black lacquer boxes with mother-of-pearl inlay and intricate floral decorations.
Huang Sheng (d. 1243): Wife of an imperial clansman and daughter of a trade supervisor whose tomb near Fuzhou contained a wealth of textiles, including ribands with floral designs similar to those found on lacquerware.
Feng Daozhen (d. 1265): Individual buried in Datong, Shanxi province, whose tomb contained fragments of a lacquer box showcasing a combination of painted and inlaid mother-of-pearl decoration.
Scholars and Researchers:
Regina Krahl: Lacquerware expert who authored the article "Filling a Blank in China's Lacquer Story," analyzing the significance of the Southern Song ‘fish-dragon’ box and tracing the history of mother-of-pearl inlaid lacquerware in China.
Lee King-Tsi and Hu Shi-chang: Scholars who researched textual evidence for early mother-of-pearl inlaid lacquerware, highlighting its production during the Song dynasty and the use of twisted copper wires in high-quality pieces.
Liu Keyan: Textile expert whose research on Yuan Dynasty textile patterns provides insights into the use of winged fish-dragon motifs and their stylistic connection to mother-of-pearl inlaid lacquerware.
Mother-of-Pearl Inlaid Lacquer 'Fish-Dragon' Box FAQ
What makes this Southern Song dynasty lacquer box so unique?
This box is exceptional for several reasons. Firstly, it helps bridge a significant gap in our understanding of the development of mother-of-pearl inlaid lacquerware. Very few pieces from the period between the 10th and 13th centuries have survived, making this box a crucial example of how this intricate craft evolved. Secondly, the combination of design elements—the fish-dragon, stylized waves, and intricate composite floral scrolls—is remarkably unusual and not seen on other surviving pieces. Finally, the craftsmanship itself is of the highest quality, with meticulous attention to detail and the use of both mother-of-pearl and twisted wire inlays, a feature considered a mark of quality in Song imperial lacquerware.
What is the significance of the fish-dragon motif on the cover?
The three-clawed, winged fish-dragon is a fascinating motif. It represents an intermediary stage in the evolution of the Chinese dragon, transitioning from earlier, fish-like creatures to the more familiar five-clawed long dragon that became prevalent during the Song dynasty. This particular form of fish-dragon, with its elongated body and S-shaped pose, is characteristic of the Song and Jin dynasties, further reinforcing the box’s attribution to this period.
How does the depiction of the waves contribute to the box's significance?
The highly stylized spuming and spattering waves surrounding the fish-dragon are distinct and unusual. They resemble wave depictions found on Yuan dynasty blue-and-white porcelain, suggesting a possible stylistic influence or shared aesthetic sensibilities between different art forms during that era.
What can we learn from the composite floral scrolls decorating the box?
These intricate floral scrolls, featuring a profusion of small blossoms and leaves, are characteristic of Southern Song art and rarely found in later periods. Their presence on the box strongly links it to this specific period and geographical region, as this style was particularly prevalent in southeastern China during the Southern Song dynasty.
Are there any comparable examples of lacquerware featuring similar designs?
Extant lacquerware with similar designs is extremely rare. However, some stylistic parallels can be drawn to other art forms from the same period. The floral scrolls, for example, are echoed in textile fragments and carved lacquer dishes dating back to the Southern Song dynasty. The fish-dragon motif finds its closest comparisons in Song and Jin dynasty gold plaques, molded Ding dishes, and even a gold-brocade textile fragment attributed to the Jin or Yuan dynasty.
What does the use of twisted wire inlay tell us about the box?
The use of twisted wire inlay alongside mother-of-pearl is significant. According to the 14th-century collector's handbook, Gegu yaolun, the incorporation of copper wire was considered a hallmark of high-quality lacquerware produced for the Song imperial household. This detail underscores the exquisite craftsmanship and suggests the box may have been intended for a prestigious audience.
Where was this lacquer box originally found?
This box comes from a distinguished Japanese aristocratic family collection and was first documented at an auction held by the Tokyo Art Club in March 1920. Its presence in Japan points to the historical appreciation and collection of Chinese art by Japanese connoisseurs.
What is the overall significance of this box in the context of Chinese art history?
This remarkable lacquer box fills a crucial gap in the history of Chinese mother-of-pearl inlaid lacquerware. It provides a rare example of the artistry and technical skill achieved during the Southern Song dynasty, a period from which very few comparable pieces survive. The box’s unique combination of design elements and impeccable craftsmanship makes it an exceptional object that sheds light on the artistic tastes and lacquerware production of its time.
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