AN IMPORTANT IMPERIAL CARVED ZITAN 'DRAGON' SEAL BOX AND COVER

Qianlong

Footnotes

清乾隆 紫檀雕江崖海水雲龍紋璽印盒

Provenance: Acquired circa 1980 from Mr. M. Rogers, Portobello Road Antiques Market, London (collector's notes).

來源：約1980年獲得於倫敦Portobello路古董市場的M.Rogers先生（藏家筆記）

The present box stands out for its exceptional craftsmanship and remarkable rarity. Specially commissioned for use of the Qianlong Emperor, it was meticulously crafted as part of an exclusive set designed to house an Imperial seal, reflecting both the unparalleled artistry and the Imperial grandeur of the Qing Court. See a similar rectangular zitan seal box and cover with cloud-and-dragon patterns, and the same trigram in the interior of the cover, in the Qing Court Collection, in the Palace Museum, Taipei, (acc.no.故玉006652N). Another similar zitan box and cover, Qianlong, in the Qing Court Collection, is illustrated in Scholar's Paraphernalia: Classics of the Forbidden City, Beijing, 2009, pp.260-261, no.278.

The three-lined trigram depicted in the interior of both the present lot and the example in the Palace Museum, Taipei, also showcases the power of the Imperial Court. It represents qian (乾), symbolising heaven (天 tian) in the I Ching, or Book of Changes. Composed of three unbroken lines (☰), qian embodies pure yang energy, signifying creativity, strength, and initiative. It represents the driving force behind creation and growth in the universe, making it a powerful emblem of order, vitality, and endless potential. This present lot, like its counterpart, represents not only the artistic sophistication of the Qing dynasty but also the profound symbolism of Imperial power.

The trigram representing qian (乾) is, of course, the first character of the Qianlong Emperor's (乾隆) reign name. The inclusion of dragons (long 龍) also functions as a homophone for long (隆), the second character of his name. In this way, the combination of the trigram and dragons forms a rebus that alludes not only to the Emperor himself but also to the consolidation of Imperial power, symbolising his divine authority and prosperous reign. This clever interplay of characters and symbols would have reinforced the emperor's connection to both celestial and earthly forces, emphasising his role as a ruler ordained by the heavens.

See a related set of bamboo-veneered writing utensils, also including a similarly shaped seal box and cover with similar design of dragons and key-fret borders on the edges, Qing dynasty, in the Qing Court Collection, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Small Refined Articles of the Study, Shenzhen, 2009, p.4, no.2. These examples illustrate the exceptional attention to detail and the integration of artistic vision with functionality, showcasing the unparalleled elegance of Imperial craftsmanship.

The Qing Records (清文件) document the collection of Imperial jade seals, housed in zitan cases with intricately carved designs. These include the 'Seal of the Emperor's Ancient Rarities' (古稀天子之寶), 'Seal of the Eight Victories of Elderly Contemplation,' (八徵耄念之寶), 'Seal of Ten Perfect Military Achievements,' (武功十全之寶) and others. Many seals were crafted to commemorate significant moments in the Qianlong Emperor's life, making them profoundly meaningful. The Qing Archives meticulously detail the design and production requirements for the zitan cases, reflecting Imperial aesthetics and symbolising the emperor's authority:

乾隆十年十二月十一日，太監胡士傑交楠木匣一件，傳旨著照樣做見方紫檀木雕宋龍匣一件，見方按楠木匣子長短做高里，下依墨​​道齊，先做樣呈覽，準時在做，欽此。

Qianlong Year 10, 11th Day of the 12th Month: A nanmu case was submitted by eunuch Hu Shijie. An Imperial decree ordered a replica in square zitan with carved Song-style dragons. Precise dimensions were specified, and a sample was required for approval.

乾隆二十六年於六月初一日，郎中白世秀，員外郎寅柱「將做得合牌雕龍匣樣一件，博古匣樣一件，素匣樣呈覽......罩蓋匣不要素的，四明並蓋上俱要花紋，欽此。

Qianlong Year 26, 1st Day of the 6th Month: Officials Bai Shixiu and Yin Zhu presented samples of dragon-carved cases. The Emperor decreed that 'lid-covered cases should not be plain. All four sides and the lid must feature decorative patterns.'

乾隆三十六年九月二日，太監胡士傑交「青白玉寶三方...傳旨著配做有托泥座罩蓋匣一件，匣蓋上畫雲龍花紋，周圍要迴紋邊，其四面牆子留詩堂，先做樣呈覽，欽此。隨將親白玉寶三方，引首一方做得有托泥座合牌罩蓋厘樣一件，匣蓋上畫雲龍，周圍迴紋邊畫，蓋裡邊頂上亦添畫得雲龍捧乾字樣，交太監胡士傑呈覽。奉旨照樣準做，其四面牆子不必留詩心照匣蓋上雲龍一樣，俱雕做雲龍，欽此

Qianlong Year 36, 2nd Day of the 9th Month: A decree specified that a lid-covered case with a base support should feature cloud-and-dragon patterns, bordered with a key-fret design. The four walls of the case were to allow space for inscribed poems. Samples were created and refined based on Imperial feedback.

乾隆五十五年一月二十六日，傳旨著配雙連雕龍紫檀木匣承裝..於正月二十八日，將白王雙龍鈕寶二方，配得雙連紫檀木罩蓋厘樣一件，上畫雕龍花紋樣呈覽，奉旨照樣準做，將匣蓋面板井匣蓋裡上頂板俱照樣雕做，其四面檣上周圍做回紋邊，中間留素板刻詩，欽此。

Qianlong Year 55, 26th Day of the 1st Month: A pair of connected dragon-carved zitan cases was commissioned to hold two white jade seals with double-dragon finials. The designs included decorative carvings on both the outer and inner panels of the lid, with key-fret borders and a plain central panel for inscribed poems.

Sandalwood or zitan, prized for its rarity and value, was over twenty times more expensive than nanmu wood according to the Regulations on Materials and Their Weight, Volume 3, of the Yuanmingyuan Regulations (見物料輕重則例-圓明園則例卷三). Due to the expense, there was strict control over its use which fostered exceptional craftsmanship in the Imperial Workshops. Before production, designs were sketched and submitted to the emperor for review, modification, and approval. Additionally, many Imperial seals and their cases were crafted in Suzhou, blending the refinement of Suzhou artisans with Imperial Workshop standards. To ensure consistency, cases were often carved from a single piece of wood, avoiding any mixing of materials, which further emphasised the luxurious taste and grandeur of the Court.

See an important and rare zitan-mounted jade bi, Han dynasty, with Qian trigram, the inscription and the stand dated to the Jiashen year, corresponding to 1764, and of the period, which was sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 2 April 2019, lot 3506.