A RARE CLOISONNE 'FIVE POISONS' MINIATURE JARDINIERE, QIANLONG PERIOD (1736-1795) China. The hexagonal vessel supported on six short feet, the facetted sides tapering downward and each decorated with an animal against a lozenge-diapered ground enameled in blue, red, yellow, and turquoise. The animals represent the Five Poisons (wu du) - snake, spider, scorpion, centipede, and toad - with the addition of a lizard. The gilt-bronze rim is incised and ring-punched with floral reserves against a pierced trefoil-diapered ground, above pendent ruyi heads.

Provenance: From an Austrian private collection.
Condition: The base with traces of soldering, the drilled hole possibly of later date, otherwise with expected wear and manufacturing flaws, including pitting. Minor nicks, dents and losses. Overall presenting very well.

Weight: 310.2 g
Dimensions: Width 11.7 cm

The Five Poisons (hu du) are believed to form an elixir that neutralizes evil. The five together are a talisman used to counteract evil on Duanwujie, the Dragon Boat Festival. In some variants of the Five Poisons, the toad is replaced by the Jin Chan, or money toad, as seen on the present lot. The winged centipede and additional lizard appear to be further variants of this ancient Chinese concept.

Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related cloisonné vase from the Qianlong period, 27.9 cm, in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum, Accession Number 29.110.92.


乾隆時期罕見銅胎掐絲琺瑯五毒紋小盆
中國。六邊形小盆，上寬下窄，盆沿下折飾如意紋，六隻如意形短足，每一面都由藍色、紅色、黃色和綠松石色組成的菱形圖案，中間可見五毒——蛇、蜘蛛、蝎子、蜈蚣、蟾蜍以及蜥蜴。

來源：奧地利私人收藏。
品相：底座帶有焊接痕跡，可能是後期做的鑽孔，磨損和製造缺陷，包括點蝕。輕微的劃痕、凹痕和缺損。 整體品相非常好。

重量：310.2 克
尺寸：寬11.7 厘米

文獻比較：
比較非常相近的乾隆時期銅胎掐絲琺瑯，尺寸27.9 厘米，見大都會藝術博物館，藏品編號29.110.92。