An exceptional rhinoceros horn cup on a carved wooden base. Qing period, 18th century or earlier Sign: Shixiantang and seal: ...zhi Carved all around with a rocky landscape and a mighty pine trunk, which together with a thick branch forms the handle of the cup, and whose branches with tufts of needles extend over the rim into the cup. Two scholars stand on the narrow side of the cup wall, one of whom points to the waterfall that feeds a stream over which a bridge leads. Trees with differently shaped foliage grow on the rocks, becoming smaller towards the top and thus suggesting an aerial perspective; on one of the rocks is a temple complex with a pagoda. The ground is carved with waves and rocks. The fitted wooden base carved with a sturdy trunk surrounded by lingzhi clouds and five bats. Weight 390 g. H 10 cm; L 15.8 cm; H with base 21.5 cm Provenance Private collection, Düsseldorf Literature Cf. a similar rhinoceros horn cup illustrated in: Li Jiufang, 'Gugong bowuyuan cang wenwu zhenpin quanji - Zhu mu ya jiao diaoke', Shangwuyinshuguan (Hong Kong) 2014, pp. 170-171, no. 147