A rare archaistic rhinoceros horn libation cup


17th/18th centuryThe elegantly proportioned vessel rising from a recessed oval foot to a widely flaring rim, delicately carved around the exterior with a band of archaistic taotie masks reserved on a leiwen ground divided by notched flanges, one end of the horn elaborately carved in openwork with a sinuous chilong with bi-furcated tails clambering above the key-fret rim, the horn ranging from a dark amber tone to walnut brown, box. 15cm (6in) high (2).
|十七/十八世紀 犀角雕仿古龍紋杯Provenance:Sotheby's London, 16 June 1999, lot 752Angela Chua Collection, Hong Kong來源：倫敦蘇富比，1999年6月16日，拍品752香港蔡劉木蘭女士收藏The archaistic design of the present cup, as demonstrated by the taotie mask motif and chilong, encapsulates the renewed interest in designs adopted from ancient bronzes. This reflects the 17th/18th century trend of 'evidential scholarship' (kaoju xue 考據學) not only with ancient texts, but also archaeology and inscriptions on archaic bronzes, as scholars sought a more empirical approach to understanding their ancient heritage invoking the idealised morals and virtues of early China. Responding to the fashion for archaism, craftsmen reproduced the motifs and patterns of ancient bronzes on their rhinoceros horns libation cups from illustrated pattern books. The present lot exhibits an outstanding contrast of the sinuous and muscular body of the chilong dragon at the handle to the underlying design of the archaistic taotie band, providing an attractive overall design that elevates the elegant shape of the cup, demonstrating the technical virtuosity of the master carver.Compare with a related rhinoceros horn libation cup with similar composition and motif of chilong and taotie masks, 17th century, illustrated by T.Fok, Connoisseurship of Rhinoceros Horn Carving in China, Hong Kong, 1999, p.60, no.13. Further related rhinoceros horn cups with similar archaistic motifs are illustrated by J.Chapman, The Art of Rhinoceros Horn Carving in China, London, 1999, p.152, no.184; and in the Hong Kong Museum of Art exhibition catalogue Ming and Qing Chinese Arts from the C. P. Lin Collection, Hong Kong, 2014, no.167.與本器相類者，可參考松竹堂舊藏一件十七世紀犀角雕仿古龍紋杯，著錄於霍滿棠，《中國犀角雕刻珍賞》，香港，1999年，頁60，圖13。其他同樣飾仿古題材之犀角杯，可參考Jan Chapman，《中國的犀牛角雕刻藝術》，倫敦，1999年，頁152，編號184；及長青館藏一件明末仿古獸面紋犀角杯，見《長青館藏明清瓷、玉、角、竹、畫琺瑯》，香港藝術館，2014年，編號167。