A CHINESE TEN-PANEL COROMANDEL LACQUER ‘BAINIAO CHAOFENG’ SCREEN

A CHINESE TEN-PANEL COROMANDEL LACQUER ‘BAINIAO CHAOFENG’ SCREEN
KANGXI 1662-1722

Finely carved and vibrantly decorated on one side with many small figures engaged in everyday life, in buildings, on terraces, and enjoying the beautiful ornamental garden. Originally a twelve-panel screen, the reverse is decorated with a central scene of fabulous colourful phoenix beneath trees flanked by other birds, flowers, foliage and dragons. Each scene is framed by borders of the 'hundred antiques', floral arrangements and mythical beasts, 234cm x 480cm.

Provenance: Field Marshal Earl Kitchener of Khartoum (1850-1916), and thence by descent through the family.

This screen is recorded in the Christie, Manson & Woods inventory at Broome Park, in December 1916 on page 74, (then a complete twelve panel screen), under the title heading of ‘Sou Chou Lacquer’.

The phoenix surrounded by many birds is known as the 'hundred birds paying homage to the king', where the phoenix is used to represent prosperity and blessings. The red sun symbolizes the yang or male principle of brightness and warmth as well as righteousness and promotion.

清康熙 烏木加彩百鳥朝鳳屏風
來源：霍雷肖•赫伯特•基奇納元帥（1850-1916），之後由其後人繼承。據佳士得Manson & Woods出版的， Broome Park庫存手冊中記載，1916年12月，頁74。