The Peach Blossom Spring

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Recently consigned for our upcoming Asian & Islamic Art sale on the 6 November is this impressive Qing dynasty (1644–1911) Chinese scroll, inscribed with a cyclical date corresponding to the year of Gengzi.

^{A Chinese scroll, Qing dynasty (1644–1911)}

The scroll arrived at Sworders Auctioneers wrapped in crinkled, aged paper. Upon carefully unrolling it, we discovered that it had been mounted with a finely embroidered kesi panel to one end (meaning ‘cut silk’, kesi refers to one of China's most highly prized silk tapestry techniques), suggesting that it had been considered an object of particular importance by a previous owner.

The painting itself illustrates The Peach Blossom Spring, the celebrated tale first written in 421 AD by the poet Tao Qian (also known as Tao Yuanming, 365–427). The story follows a fisherman who discovers an idyllic, secluded community whose inhabitants have lived in peaceful isolation for generations, untouched by the political turmoil and social upheaval of the outside world. After spending time among the villagers, the fisherman eventually departs, diligently marking his route so that he may return. However, despite following his own trail, he is unable to locate the hidden valley again.

^{A Chinese scroll, Qing dynasty (1644–1911)}

In the present scroll, the fisherman is shown descending through a mountainous landscape and crossing a small bridge before arriving at a tranquil village. The secluded settlement is animated with figures, livestock, dogs and children, while blossoming trees are scattered throughout the composition, reinforcing the serene nature of the painting.

We asked the vendor of its history and they told us that the scroll was a family heirloom, acquired by the present owner’s husband’s grandfather, the Reverend Joseph E. Sandbach, during his time in Hong Kong in the 1950s. A Methodist minister, Reverend Sandbach served in Hong Kong both before and after the Second World War. The family later returned to the UK in the late 1960s, whereby Reverend Sandbach was awarded an OBE in recognition of his wartime services. In the 1970s, Reverend Sandbach gifted the scroll to his grandson, where it remained in the family collection until its recent consignment.

The Peach Blossom Spring remains one of China's most enduring literary expressions of an idealised world, symbolising harmony, simplicity and escape from the trials of everyday life. Perhaps more resonant today than ever before, its themes have inspired generations of artists, appearing across painting, porcelain and the decorative arts, where the imagined landscape serves as a metaphor for a utopian retreat and the harmonious relationship between humanity and nature.

Asian & Islamic Art

Friday 6 November | 10am

asianart@sworder.co.uk | 01279 817778

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