Lot 50 清乾隆　剔紅九龍圖提梁匣 | A CARVED CINNABAR LACQUER 'DRAGON' CABINET

清乾隆　剔紅九龍圖提梁匣 | A CARVED CINNABAR LACQUER 'DRAGON' CABINET

Qianlong

HKD 650,000

HKD 650000 - 850000

未知

未知

Qianlong
Of rectangular form, the exterior set with panels enclosing nine meticulously carved five-clawed dragons in total, each depicted with bulging eyes and sharp horns, emerging from an intricate ground of crashing and foaming waves in pursuit of flaming pearls, each framed by a diaper-pattern band and a key-fret border, the detachable front panel opening to reveal three drawers and a central open compartment flanked by two compartments with hinged doors, all carved with diaper-pattern, the top set with a gilt-metal handles with ruyi-head terminals, fitted box.
35.2cm (13 7/8in) long x 26cm (10 1/4in) wide x 20cm (7 7/8in) deep. (6).
Footnotes
清乾隆　剔紅九龍圖提梁匣
Provenance:
Dr. Howard (1921-2011) and Carolyn Balensweig, New York
Weisbrod Chinese Art, New York, 1999
A New York private collection
Christie's New York, 22 March 2013, lot 1316
Zhang Rong, ed., , Beijing, 2020, pp.214-217, no.65
Dr. Howard 及 Carolyn Balensweig，紐約
Weisbrod Chinese Art，紐約，1999年
紐約私人收藏
紐約佳士得，2013年3月22日，拍品編號1316
張榮主編，《巧法造化：陽明山房藏宋元明清漆器》，北京，2020年，頁214至217，編號65
Dr. Howard D.Balensweig (1921–2011) was a New York orthopaedic surgeon, educated at Yale University and Cornell University, where he received his M.D. in 1946. He served as an orthopaedic surgeon at New York Hospital and the Hospital for Special Surgery, and was a clinical instructor and later clinical professor at Cornell. Together with his wife, Carolyn W.Balensweig, he formed a collection that included Chinese and other Asian art. The couple lent objects from their collection to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's 1973–74 exhibition , including a Northern Wei painted pottery guardian warrior.
Intricately carved cinnabar lacquer cabinets, with multiple compartments, of comparable quality was produced by the Imperial workshops. A nearly identical rectangular handled cabinet, 18th century, is in the Palace Museum, Taipei, illustrated in , Taipei, 2008, p.147, no.153. See also a related cinnabar lacquer handled box, but carved with the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove, mid-Qing dynasty, in the Qing Court Collection, illustrated in , Hong Kong, 2006, pp.68-69, no.45.
The present lot is distinguished by the deftly rendered dragons, featuring a design that is characteristic of the Qianlong period. Comparable depictions of dragons amid waves can also be observed on other cinnabar lacquer pieces within the Qing Court Collection, including a rectangular box and a cylindrical box, both with an incised Qianlong mark, illustrated in , nos.9 and 11.
The nine five-clawed dragons embody powerful Imperial and cosmological symbolism. The dragon, as the quintessential emblem of the Emperor and a symbol of rain, prosperity, and auspicious power, is here multiplied ninefold: nine ( 九) being the most revered of all numbers in traditional Chinese thought. Its homophone with the word for eternity ( 久) imbues the design with wishes for lasting reign, longevity, and boundless good fortune. Additionally, the motif of nine dynamic dragons swirling among waves reinforces the image of the ruler as a cosmic harmoniser: one who commands both heaven and earth. Rich in visual energy and layered meaning, this cabinet would have been particularly valued as an expression of supreme authority and eternal good fortune.
Compare with a related cinnabar lacquer 'dragon' cabinet, Qianlong, recently sold at Bonhams London, 6 November 2025, lot 13; and another sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 8 October 2009, lot 1644.
霍華德·D·巴倫斯威格（Howard D. Balensweig，1921–2011），是一名紐約骨科醫生，先後就讀於耶魯大學及康奈爾大學，1946年獲醫學博士學位。曾任職於紐約醫院及特種外科醫院，並於康奈爾大學擔任臨床講師及臨床教授。他與妻子卡洛琳·W·巴倫斯威格（Carolyn W. Balensweig）共同建立藝術收藏，涵蓋中國及其他亞洲藝術品。夫婦曾將部分藏品出借予大都會藝術博物館，並參與1973至1974年「中國古代藝術」展覽，其中包括一尊北魏彩繪陶武士俑。
匣呈長方形，通髹朱漆，四面及頂隨形開光，外施錦地，內剔紅水波游龍，龍皆五爪，弄潮趕珠。頂接金屬提梁，正面上方居中設鎖鈕，開啟後內有洞天，屜、櫃兼備。屜、櫃外均髹朱漆，唯飾錦紋，屜、櫃內則髹黑漆，屜、櫃亦各有銅活，以便開合。整器結構精巧，技藝超卓，九龍同出猶頌天威浩蕩。
此類雕工精細、多格分層之剔紅提匣，乃宮廷作坊所製。台北故宮博物院藏一件幾乎相同之十八世紀長方提匣，見《和光剔彩：故宮藏漆》，台北，2008年，頁147，編號153。另見清宮舊藏一件清中期剔紅提匣，飾竹林七賢圖，載於《故宮博物院藏文物珍品全集：清代漆器》，香港，2006年，頁68至69，編號45。
本品所飾龍紋，刻劃靈動傳神，姿態矯健，鬚鬣飛揚，盡顯乾隆朝雕漆之典型風格。其構圖繁而不亂，刀法流暢自如，深淺得宜，既見皇家氣象之威嚴，亦不失工藝之精微巧致。清宮舊藏其他剔紅器中亦可見類似海水龍紋，包括一件長方盒及一件圓筒盒，均刻乾隆款，見同書，編號9及11。
五爪龍紋，象徵天子之尊貴與皇權至上。龍兼司雨澤、主豐稔、兆祥瑞；此以九數呈現，「九」乃傳統思想中至崇之數，復諧音「久」，遂寄江山永固、壽祚綿長、福澤無疆之願。九龍翻騰波濤間，更彰君主調和宇宙之象，統御天地，協和陰陽。此提梁匣髹漆渾厚，色澤華美，雕工精巧純熟，寓意層疊，寓意至尊權威與永恆福運，故尤足珍視。
比較一件乾隆朝剔紅九龍紋提匣，售於倫敦邦瀚斯，2025年11月6日，拍品編號13；另一件售於香港蘇富比，2009年10月8日，拍品編號1644。