Puce Landscape Box

QING PERIOD 1644 to 1911

AN EXQUISITE PUCE LANDSCAPE 珐琅彩 FALANGCAI ON COPPER BOX

The box of rectangular octagonal form with straight vertical sides, a slightly domed cover.
A cartouche edged with a braided black and white rope border enclosing a tranquil landscape, in shades of puce against a white ground.
In the foreground a slow running river, a fisherman poling his sampan, vegetation growing on the banks.
To the right a winding path bordered with flowering bushes leading to an open thatched pergola, two scholars.
A spinet of Chinese elm trees bounded by rolling mounds.
The left bank, low hills leading to the river's edge, a clump of pine trees. Rolling hills stretching back to the distance.
The box enamelled with an imperial yellow ground decorated with pale pink peonies scrolling vines, leafy foliage bearing blue blossoms and buds.
The side of the cover and box painted in exquisite detail, with a similar recurring theme of pink and white peonies, blue and white blossoms, opening buds, in a variety of colours and shades.
The interior enamelled in pale aquamarine.
The base with a blue 4 character Qianlong period mark

A MAGNIFICENT WORK OF ART

Formerly the property of a Japanese collector

Condition: Very good condition.

Refer Large Images for details, quality and condition, they also form the description.
Depending on your computer monitor / phone / etc colour may vary to actual.
Dimensions are maximum measurements

Length 10.2 cm.
Width 8.5 cm.
Depth 3.6 cm
Weight: 227 grams

A$5,950


Note:
The use of the colour Puce for the landscapes bears all the hallmarks of the European influence that was introduced to the Imperial Courts by imported prints and engravings from Europe.
In this instance rather than a European landscape the artist has chosen to paint a Chinese style landscape.
To produce high quality puce enamel to paint this landscape box would have been costly, reserved only for the most skilled artistic enamellers.
This superb box is comparable in quality to the finest enamel produced in the Imperial Workshops of the Imperial Palace, 造 辦 處 Zaobanchu

Puce enamelled items are rare, although there are recorded examples in other wares such as snuff bottles, censers.

The art of enamelling was introduced to the Chinese Court in the Kangxi era 1654 to 1722, by the Jesuit Guiseppe Castiglione (Lan Shining).