The Asian Art Sale

For Auction: 15th November 2011

A very finely carved 'Village by the River' rhinoceros horn Libation Cup,
Qing Dynasty, 1800-1911, the flaring sides intricately carved with prunus, pine and maple branches spread over the rim and into the cup interior, the cup body depicting various scenes including a small boat carrying passengers on a rough river crossing, a fisherman in his boat, a scholar and his servant on a bridge, all on a rocky base with twisted branches forming the handle, rim damage above the handle,
20cm

For similar cups, see Jan Chapman, The Art of Rhinoceros Carving in China, 1999, fig. 290, p. 211, and fig. 353, p. 243.

The theme of a small boat with passengers below tall cliffs has become one of the best known in all Chinese figurative art, largely inspired by the most famous poem of the Song Dynasty, 'Ode to the Red Cliff' by Su Shi (1037-1101). The steep rock cliffs and boat travelling over rough tides on this cup may be loosely based on paintings and illustrations of this poem.

Hammer : £215000.00