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Lot Essay
This extraordinary screen is exceptionally rare and no other example of a painted and embroidered screen from the Kangxi period appears to be published.
The screen is inscribed with a dedication stating that the screen was offered in the autumn of 1688 by Shang Lian to an individual with the surname Ye, for his seventieth birthday. The inscriptions include thirteen poems by thirteen different scholars conveying wishes for longevity. The scholars are Ma Hualong of Boling, Liu Bin of Qinchang, Feng Jiuling of Yuwu, Fu Zhiben of Jinyang, Yan Lu of Hanfu, Li Guangdi of Danyang (chief minister of the Kangxi period), Fang Yin of Huanyang, Li Chengtian of Wuyang, Ji Ming of Dongguang, Tang Jinjue of Wuqu, Lu Qing of Lechang, Li Fatian of Wuyang, and Wang Shifan of Yinghai.
The most prominent individual in this group is Li Guangdi (1642-1710), also known by his courtesy name, Jinqing, and his sobriquet, Hou’an, a powerful neo-Confucianist court official during the Kangxi reign. A native of Fujian province, Li passed the imperial examinations in 1670 and held several important court positions, such as Chancellor of the Hanlin Academy, Governor of Zhili and Grand Secretary, and served on the Board of War, Board of Civil Service and the Board of Public Works. A twelve-panel Kangxi screen sold at Christie’s Paris, 21 June 2006, lot 236, also bears the name of Li Guangdi.
The deer and cranes embroidered on the screen symbolize long life, as they are both companions of Shoulao, the God of Longevity. In addition, the Chinese word for deer is a homophone with the word for 'emoluments'. The deer and crane can also symbolize a married couple. Shown together with the pine tree, which is an evergreen, they form the rebus helu tongchun, 'may the couple be forever young' or ‘may the universe enjoy longevity.’
The use of blue and green pigments for the mountains and rockwork evokes the blue-green typically found in traditional shan shui paintings. An example of an embroidered and painted panel with similarly decorated rocks is in the collection of the Palace Museum, Taipei, K2C000191N000000000PAA.
The screen is inscribed with a dedication stating that the screen was offered in the autumn of 1688 by Shang Lian to an individual with the surname Ye, for his seventieth birthday. The inscriptions include thirteen poems by thirteen different scholars conveying wishes for longevity. The scholars are Ma Hualong of Boling, Liu Bin of Qinchang, Feng Jiuling of Yuwu, Fu Zhiben of Jinyang, Yan Lu of Hanfu, Li Guangdi of Danyang (chief minister of the Kangxi period), Fang Yin of Huanyang, Li Chengtian of Wuyang, Ji Ming of Dongguang, Tang Jinjue of Wuqu, Lu Qing of Lechang, Li Fatian of Wuyang, and Wang Shifan of Yinghai.
The most prominent individual in this group is Li Guangdi (1642-1710), also known by his courtesy name, Jinqing, and his sobriquet, Hou’an, a powerful neo-Confucianist court official during the Kangxi reign. A native of Fujian province, Li passed the imperial examinations in 1670 and held several important court positions, such as Chancellor of the Hanlin Academy, Governor of Zhili and Grand Secretary, and served on the Board of War, Board of Civil Service and the Board of Public Works. A twelve-panel Kangxi screen sold at Christie’s Paris, 21 June 2006, lot 236, also bears the name of Li Guangdi.
The deer and cranes embroidered on the screen symbolize long life, as they are both companions of Shoulao, the God of Longevity. In addition, the Chinese word for deer is a homophone with the word for 'emoluments'. The deer and crane can also symbolize a married couple. Shown together with the pine tree, which is an evergreen, they form the rebus helu tongchun, 'may the couple be forever young' or ‘may the universe enjoy longevity.’
The use of blue and green pigments for the mountains and rockwork evokes the blue-green typically found in traditional shan shui paintings. An example of an embroidered and painted panel with similarly decorated rocks is in the collection of the Palace Museum, Taipei, K2C000191N000000000PAA.