Bonhams in Paris magnificent famille rose vase headlines Asian Art sale

The Power of the Dragon

An impressive selection of Chinese porcelain works of art, scholars’ objects, 20th century paintings and Buddhist sculptures made in Tibet, Mongolia, India and China, mostly from European collections will be offered at the Asian Art sale at Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr on Tuesday 10 December 2024.

Caroline Schulten - European Head of Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art

"Bonhams is privileged to offer such magnificent pieces as a rare Famille rose dragon vase – a masterpiece of the imperial kilns. We are also honoured to offer a rare and distinguished group of Chinese paintings from the collection of a distinguished French gentleman and a group of Yuan and early Ming jades from a German collection.”

Highlights include a magnificent and incredibly rare famille rose 'dragon' vase (estimate: €300,000-500,000). Originally collected by William Dederich (1872-1926), an English businessman and patron of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s arctic expeditions, the vase was displayed in his house near London and was handed down in the family over several generations before it was recently discovered by Bonhams specialists. This impressive vase is a masterpiece made in the imperial kilns at Jingdezhen under the Qianlong emperor. It is a successful combination of colour and composition and must have been a challenging project for the skilled artists in the Jingdezhen workshops. The striking combination of rose pink-enamel and iron-red in the decoration of this vase is very rare and appears on a handful porcelains of the Qianlong period including on a Qianlong marked vase of identical form, size and design where the design appears in mirror image. The vase is one of a pair, the other was sold at Bonhams in Hong Kong in November 2011.

In the decorative repertoire of art, depictions of a larger powerful dragon accompanied by a smaller, more sinuous dragon, usually facing each other, convey the message of 'the old dragon teaching his son'. We can assume that the two dragons on this vase allude to the theme of succession of imperial power and handing down knowledge from father to son, most likely referencing the figures of Qianlong and his son, the future Jiaqing Emperor.

The sale offers eight Chinese paintings by leading artists of the 20th century, from the collection of a distinguished French gentleman who began his career in the French diplomatic service in the early 20th century. His profound appreciation of Asian cultures and languages led him to take up different postings across Asia focusing on strengthening France’s diplomatic relations with various Asian countries. Together with his son, who also served in the French foreign service in China, the family put together an impressive collection of works of art, focusing on Chinese paintings, reflecting their deep appreciation for the cultural and artistic heritage of China and showcasing their dedication to both diplomacy and arts. Highlights include a hanging scroll made of ink and colour on paper, Morning Glory by Qi Baishi (1864-1957) (estimate: €25,000-35,000) or Fisherman with Pelicans by Lin Fengmian (1900-1991) (estimate: €20,000-30,000).

The sale features a group of Yuan and early Ming jades from a German collection formed in China between 1895 and 1922. Influenced by similarly shaped pouring vessels made in precious metalwork and porcelain, the jade vessel is a rare interpretation of silver prototypes in jade. A large and unique large green jade baluster vase from the same collection is a stunning example of early Ming jade carving as it is completely undecorated focusing on the pure form and beautiful colour and texture of the jade (estimate: €20,000-30,000). Another highlight is an important and very rare green jade pouring bowl, Yi, Yuan Dynasty-early Ming Dynasty (estimate: €20,000-30,000).

Another highlight in the sale is an incredibly rare lacquer cabinet decorated with gold dragons in shades of gold and red gold on a black lacquer ground (estimate: €8,000-10,000). An inscription on the back of the cabinet dates it to the Longqing period (1567-1572) of the Ming dynasty making it one of the earliest examples of Chinese painted lacquer furniture. It was first acquired by Raymond Pelgrims de Bigard (1875-1955), a Belgian industrialist who attained fame and recognition for the conservation and restoration of historic castles in Belgium. The cabinet was displayed in the Chateau de Grand Bigard in Dilbeek, near Brussels and has been inherited by the present owners.

Himalayan art is represented by a small but exquisite group of Buddhist bronzes from China, Tibet, Nepal and Mongolia. The collection was formed by Christian von Reitzenstein, a German collector in the late 1970s and 1980s, a period long before Himalayan and Chinese Buddhist art became collectable. He acquired his pieces mostly from dealers in Germany specialising in Himalayan and Asian art which at the time were rare. Focusing on Himalayan and Sino-Tibetan pieces of small size but exquisite quality, he formed a small but select group of gilt-bronze sculptures each carefully chosen to complement his remarkable collection of 17th and 18th German glass sold last October at Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr in Paris. Among the highlights are a gilt copper alloy figure of Amitayus from Mongolia, Zanabazar school, 18th century (estimate: €10,000-15,000) and a gilt copper alloy figure of Padmasambhava, Tibet, 15th century (estimate: €10,000-15,000).