A rare silk kesi 'dragon' panelWanliThe rectangular panel finely decorated with a large front-facing dragon coiling around a flaming pearl and emerging from turbulent waves interspersed with pointed rocks, all delicately woven in gold wrapped thread and shades of blue, coral, green, black and yellow, framed and glazed. 92.5cm (36 3/8in) wide x 62.5cm (24 5/8in) long.注脚明萬曆 緙絲趕珠龍紋掛屏Provenance: Sotheby's London, 5 November 2008, lot 372A European private collection來源：倫敦蘇富比，2008年11月5日，拍品編號372歐洲私人收藏Capable of flying high in the sky and diving back in the sea, dragons were since the earliest phases of Chinese history seen as intermediaries between Heaven and Earth and regarded as vehicles transporting humans to immortal realms. According to the 'Book of Songs', compiled in the 3rd century BC, dragons represent victory over the forces of darkness, cast light onto the Gate of Heaven and allow one to glimpse the wondrous residence of immortal beings. A similar kesi 'dragon' panel, 17th century, with a gilt ground was sold at Christie's South Kensington, 11 November 2015, lot 610, and a further kesi dragon panel, 17th century, as a table frontal from the collection of Jean-Pierre Dubosc (1903-1988), was sold at Christie's Paris, 9 June 2015, lot 18.