Carved Rhinoceros Horn Prunus Libation Cup, Qing Dynasty

A carved rhinoceros horn 'prunus' libation cup Qing dynasty,…
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A carved rhinoceros horn 'prunus' libation cup Qing Dynasty, 17th/18th century, naturalistically carved as a prunus blossom with flaring overlapping petals forMing the cup, the exterior carved in high relief with branches bearing prunus buds and blossoms and with bamboo shoots, extending over the sides from the openwork boughs forming the foot, the handle to one side formed of flowering branches in pierced relief rising to the rim and extending onto the interior, the horn of a deep caramel colour, 16.5 cm wide. Provenance: Sotheby's, London, 12 October, 1976, lot 3, The Zorich Collection, Adelaide, acquired from the above . Cups with similar decoration include one in the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin, illustrated in Jan Chapman, The Art of the Rhinoceros Horn Carving of China, London, 1999, pl. 215, and one in the Sydney L. Moss collection, included in the exhibition Escape from the Dusty World, Chinese Paintings and Literati Works of Art, Hong Kong, 1999, cat. no. 72, other similar cups sold Sotheby's, London, 12 March 1982, lot 74, Sotheby's New York, 12 October 1984, lot 256, and Sotheby's, Hong Kong, 8 April 2014, lot 3013

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  • Ming Dynasty - The Ming Dynasty was a ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644. It succeeded the Yuan Dynasty and preceded the Qing Dynasty. The Ming Dynasty was established by Zhu Yuanzhang, a former Buddhist monk who became a rebel leader and eventually overthrew the Mongol Yuan Dynasty. During the Ming Dynasty, China experienced a period of relative stability and prosperity. The government was centralized and bureaucratic, with the emperor at the top of the hierarchy. The Ming Dynasty is known for its cultural achievements, including the development of porcelain, the invention of movable type printing, and the construction of the Great Wall of China.

  • Qing Dynasty - The Qing Dynasty was the last imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912. It was established by the Manchu people, who originated from the northeastern region of China. The Qing Dynasty was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China.

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