CHINE - XVIIIe siècle

CHINA - 18th century To bid on this lot, please register with the firm. No DrouotLive for this lot. In order to bid on this lot, please register with the auction house. No Live bidding. Large round white marble basin, on a pedestal. The basin is carved with a frieze of running qilin, one on two with their heads turned backwards, the scales and manes finely chiseled, alternating with clouds and ingots. The rim is sculpted with ribbon crosses forming diamond-shaped motifs in which stylized flowers are inscribed. The body of the bowl is carved with stylized clouds and ingots forming harmonious patterns. The lower part, underneath, is carved with elegant lotus petals, forming scrolls at their end. The base is carved in high relief with a frieze alternating seated and running qilin and Buddhist lions' heads depicted from the front, against a background of intermingled waves and foaming waves. The qilin are depicted with their heads turned backwards, their scales finely chiseled, the hairs of their tails curling around their hind legs or flying freely. This frieze is surmounted by a double frieze of lotus petals enclosing flames and stylized clouds. The cylindrical part chiseled in light relief of a frieze of intertwined vegetal volutes, surmounted by a frieze of smaller lotus petals decorated with small clouds. This base probably comes from a fountain of the same period. Diam. of the bowl 109 cm H. bowl 33 cm H. foot : 66 cm Total height about 99 cm