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CHINA, Qing Dynasty, 18th century and France, 19th century f…
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CHINA, Qing Dynasty, 18th century and France, 19th century f…
See original version (French)
Lot no. 6
Description
CHINA, Qing Dynasty, 18th century and France, 19th century for the frame
Rare pair of elephants in bronze and cloisonné enamel
The pachyderms are depicted standing and in symmetry, their skins in white enamel with gold enamels, their large mobile ears, their trunks slightly raised. They are richly carapaced with fillets and rumps bearing the colours of Buddhism. The saddles are richly decorated in polychrome enamel on a turquoise background with bats holding sound stones above the water and sacred mountains, the lower part decorated with tassels on a yellow background.
The curved saddles on which the vases rest support ormolu candelabras decorated with geometric scrolls and lotuses on the shafts, the candelabra decorated with an ormolu elephant in the shape of a miniature carapacaged elephant. The whole resting on quadrangular ormolu bases decorated with foliage and bearing the incised signatures "F. BARBEDIENNE" on the sides. BARBEDIENNE" on the sides.
Mounted after electricity.
Height : 22 cm
Height (with mount): 49 cm
Width : 20 cm
(Tusk missing on one)
These very elegant candelabras bear witness to the refinement of cloisonné enamel objects produced by Chinese imperial workshops during the XVIIIᵉ century. The symbolism of elephants is of great importance in Chinese decorative arts. Indeed, the pachyderm represents strength, wisdom, but also intelligence. When it is depicted carrying a vase on its back, it evokes by homophony with the phrase "taiping youxiang", the idea of "let peace reign".
In the 40ᵉ year of the reign of the Emperor Qianlong, an imposing model of an elephant in cloisonné enamels was donated by Li Shiyao, Governor General of the provinces of Guangdong and Guangxi. The work was installed in the Taoist temple in the imperial garden, in the Qin'andian (Imperial Peace Pavilion), becoming one of the major pieces in the imperial collections.
Several models of elephants in bronze and cloisonné enamel are now part of the Palace collections in Beijing, and were often reused in highly sophisticated clocks as a result of European influence in artistic production.
See original version (French)
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