A rare and superbly carved 'Orchid Pavilion' rhinoceros horn libation cup. Ming dynasty, early 17th century

A rare and superbly carved 'Orchid Pavilion' rhinoceros horn libation cup. Ming dynasty, early 17th century. photo Sotheby's

The sides crisply carved in high relief with a continuous scene from 'Preface to the Scholarly Gathering at the Orchid Pavilion', depicting four scholars seated reading books and drinking wine beneath pine and wutong trees by the banks of a swirling river accompanied by attendants carefully floating cups of wine on the currents, the scene continuing to the reverse with two further scholars writing, enjoying wine and playing the qin, all set below a pavilion nestled among rockwork and wispy clouds that continue over the rim to the interior of the cup, the river flowing around to the side of the cup, descending into a waterfall between the two rocky outcrops that form the handle and emerging at the base beside a two-character seal mark Wu Heng, the material of a light amber tone - 6 1/2 in. (16.6 cm.) wide, wood stand, box - Weight: 24.8 oz. (703 gm.) - Estimate HK$1,800,000 - HK$2,200,000 ($232,962 - $284,731) Price Realized K$39,860,000 ($5,158,813)

明末 犀角雕「蘭亭序」盃
尺寸：寬16.6公分, 木座
重：703克

盃敞口，斂腹、平底。外壁雕東晉時期王羲之等人在山陰蘭亭歡聚宴飲的故事。通體刻劃了八個人物，有撫琴的、吟詩詠句的、水邊暢飲的，姿態各異。他們置身於如《蘭亭序》中所描繪的：「此地有崇山峻嶺，茂林修竹；又有清流激湍，映帶左右，引以為流觴曲水，列坐其次。」底刻「吳珩」篆書方印款。

此盃色呈金蜜色，由一株巨型的印度犀角雕琢而成。器形碩大，刀法曠達有力，雕琢細緻入微，構思巧妙，將蘭亭典故雕琢成立體的畫面。畫面中人物精細，面目表情清晰生動，把《蘭亭序》中所表達之：「雖無絲竹管弦之盛，一觴一詠，亦足以暢敘幽情。」刻劃得淋漓盡致。為犀角雕刻器中之精品。

此器1999年3月22日於紐約蘇富比拍賣，拍品430號。2002-2005年間於香港藝術館《金木水火土：香港文物收藏精品展》中展出。

Provenance: A.V. Stuart, Saco, Maine
Previously sold at Sotheby's New York, 22-23 March 1999, lot 430

Exhibited: Hong Kong Museum of Art, Metal, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth: Gems of Antiquities Collections in Hong Kong, 2002-2005

Notes: The characters, Wu Heng, probably denote the name of the carver or the collector, however, it appears to be unrecorded.

The exquisitely rendered details on the cup illustrate a scene as described in the 'Preface to the Scholarly Gathering at the Orchid Pavilion' written by the great calligrapher and poet, Wang Xizhi (AD 307-365). The author invited a group of scholars to a gathering by the Orchid Pavilion in Shanyin, Zhejiang, in A.D. 353, to celebrate the Spring Purification Festival. During the gathering they played a game in which servants would float cups of wine on the river to the scholars waiting downstream. In the time the cups took to reach the scholars, they had to try to compose a poem and catch the cups as they passed by.

The theme is rarely depicted on rhinoceros horn carvings due to its complexity, elaborate scenery and the large number of figures involved. The spectacular size of this horn enabled the carver to skilfully recreate the scene in magnificent detail.

Compare with another very large 'Orchid Pavilion' rhinoceros horn libation cup signed by Fang Hongzhai also from the Songzhutang Collection, sold at Christie's Hong Kong, Important Chinese Rhinoceros Horn Carvings from the Songzhutang Collection, 27 May 2008, lot 1709.

The unusual colouration of the material is due to the fact that unlike the majority of rhinoceros horn carvings of this period, it has been left in its raw state and has not been dyed or treated. The monumental size of this horn, the deep groove running along its side and the broad oval skirt suggest that this would have belonged to a member of the Great Indian Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) species.

Sotheby's. Important Chinese Rhinoceros Horn Carvings from The Songzhutang Collection Part II. 31 May 2010. Hong Kong www.sothebys.com