A rare Imperial zitan and chenxiangmu lacquered 'double-gourd' panel


18th centuryExquisitely enclosed within a zitan frame in the shape of a double-gourd intricately carved in relief and pierced with double-gourds issuing from gnarled and twisting leafy vines and tendrils, the lacquered panel inset with a chengxianmu relief carved long gnarled branch issuing prunus blossoms with delicate stamens, growing out of craggy rocks with water flowing through the crevices, the reverse set with a hardwood panel. 39.5cm (15 1/2in) long.
|十八世紀 紫檀攢框嵌沉香木雕梅枝葫蘆形掛屏Provenance:Formerly in a French private collection來源：法國私人收藏The auspicious symbolism, exquisite craftsmanship and use of the prized zitan and chenxiangmu materials would have made this plaque suitable for hanging on one of the walls of the Imperial palaces. Related natuaralistic decorative panels and furnishings made from prized materials such as zitan, jichimu and lacquer inlaid with hardstones, were used throughout the Qianlong emperor's retirement quarters in the Forbidden City; see A Lofty Retreat from the Red Dust: The Secret Garden of the Qianlong Emperor, Hong Kong, 2012, nos.10 (zitan throne in the Sanyouxuan 'Three Friends Bower'), 11-12 (pair of zitan screens in the Sanyouxuan), and 42-43 (pair of jichimu lacquered and inlaid panels in the Yucuixuan 'Bower of Purest Jade').The plum blossom, together with the pine and bamboo, was one of the auspicious 'Three Friends of Winter'. The pine because it is evergreen; the bamboo because it is upright; and the plum blossom because it blooms vibrantly and bravely amidst the winter snows. Thus, the old and gnarled branches with blossoming pink flowers came to symbolise regeneration, hope and perseverance, making it a particularly suitable theme for the Imperial retirement quarters and within it most likely the Sanyouxuan. A related rectangular plaque with prunus in huanghuali against a yellow lacquer ground, from the Qing Court Collection, is illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Furniture of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (II), Hong Kong, 2002, no.182. Moreover, the double-gourd shape also held another layer of auspicious meaning. Being full of seeds, the double-gourd came to be a symbol of fertility and progeny. It was also closely associated with the Daoist Immortal Li Tieguai who carried the elixir of Immortality in his double-gourd which also became allegorical as the container of the soul and receptacle of good fortune. Li Tieguai's ability to travel outside his body also made his attribute a symbol of the door through which one could enter a parallel paradise. The use of precious chenxiangmu (lignaloes), which is a rare and fragrant wood, also serves to show that this would have been a particularly treasured object made for the Qing Court. The quiet restraint and elegance of the carving echo the moral integrity expressed in the symbolism.掛屏以紫檀攢框，上雕連枝葫蘆紋，杉木為底板，上髹黑漆，發冰裂斷，嵌沉香木雕老梅一枝。葫蘆因多籽，且枝節連綿，故有子孫連綿的寄意。梅花品性高潔，常與松竹相配，此件拍品很可能原屬一套三件之歲寒三友掛屏，其他兩件或為嵌松竹。此屛用料貴重，紫檀、沉香皆比金價，唯有大內豪門方可負擔。故宮存有多件紫檀髹漆嵌百寶屏可作參考，見《頤養謝塵喧一乾隆皇帝的秘密花園》，香港，2012年，編號10及編號11至12，三友軒內之紫檀寶座及紫檀屏風；編號42至43，位於玉粹軒之雞翅木髹漆嵌百寶掛屏。另有一件清宮舊藏之黃漆地嵌黃花梨雕梅花的掛屏，見《故宮博物院藏文物珍品全集一明清家具》，下卷，香港，2002年，編號182。