Chinese Export Lacquer Box

About This Object

A large Chinese black lacquer box, exquisitely decorated with oriental scenes and Mandarin poetry.
Canton, Qing dynasty,  early 19th century.

Why we like it

An exquisite example of oriental decorative art, also useful to store small objects, jewellery, etc. with gusto. Beautiful poetry too, please see translations below.

Provenance and decoration

A virtually idential box, without doubt a pair to the present example, decorated with the same motifs  in a symmetrical manner, and most likely commissioned together as a symbolic gift, is illustrated in A. Clarke and J. O'Kelly, Antique Boxes, Tea Caddies & Society, second edition, 2018, fig. 247.

The boxes are exquisitely decorated with episodes from the battles of the Three Kingdoms, which took place in early third century A.D. By the end of 207, after a victorious campaign, culminating in the Battle of White Wolf Mountain, Cao Cao, a minister and commander under the last Han emperor, who held the de facto control of the state, achieved complete dominance of the North China Plain and half of the Chinese population. The sides of the boxes are decorated with scenes of notable battles, while the tops depict Cao Cao sitting triumphantly in state against the backdrop of screens, exquisitely calligraphed with classical poetry.

We were able to identify some of the poems exquisitely inscribed on the screens, that form the background of the palace scene, painted on the lid of the box.

《洞庭酒楼》

落日洞庭霞，霞边卖酒家。

晚虹桥外市，秋水月中槎。

江白鱼吹浪，滩黄雁踏沙。

相将楚渔父，招手入芦花

《洞庭酒楼》- "Dongting Tavern"

落日洞庭霞，- The setting sun casts rosy clouds over Dongting Lake,

霞边卖酒家。- Beside the glow, a tavern where wine is sold.

晚虹桥外市，- Markets beyond the bridge under the evening rainbow,

秋水月中槎。- Boats in the autumn water beneath the moon.

江白鱼吹浪，- In the river, white fish leap through the waves,

滩黄雁踏沙。- On the sands, yellow geese tread.

相将楚渔父，- Together with the Chu fisherman,

招手入芦花。- Waving hands, they enter the reeds where flowers bloom.

《西宫秋怨》

芙蓉不及美人妆，

水殿风来珠翠香。

谁分含啼掩秋扇，

空悬明月待君王

《西宫秋怨》- "Autumn Lament in the Western Palace"

芙蓉不及美人妆，- The lotus cannot compare to the beauty's makeup,

水殿风来珠翠香。- Scented with pearls and jade, the breeze enters the water pavilion.

谁分含啼掩秋扇，- Who can discern the concealed sobs behind the autumn fan,

空悬明月待君王。- The bright moon hangs in vain, awaiting the monarch.

Condition

Area of conservation to one corner (approximately 1.5 sq in), minor touch-ups to edges.

Such luxurious items were popular in England during the height of fashion for oriental exoticism, called chinoiserie in Europe. Available to order through best luxury goods retailers of the era, such exquisite items as lacquerware, botanical gouaches or reverse-painted glass, were manufactured in Canton to be shipped to Britain.