Finely carved from a single block of dense, dark zitan, the cup is formed as an open blossom supported by gnarled prunus and magnolia branches entwined in high relief around the exterior. The naturalistic modelling captures the vitality of early spring blooms, symbolising renewal and purity. The interior is smoothly polished, contrasting with the crisply defined floral motifs.
A zitan ‘prunus and magnolia’ libation cup (18th/19th century)
Description
Dimensions: 17.8cm diameter, 6.5cm high
Provenance:
A private Scandinavian collection, acquired in the 1980s
Finely carved from a single block of dense, dark zitan, the cup is formed as an open blossom supported by gnarled prunus and magnolia branches entwined in high relief around the exterior. The naturalistic modelling captures the vitality of early spring blooms, symbolising renewal and purity. The interior is smoothly polished, contrasting with the crisply defined floral motifs.
Vessels of this type were inspired by rhinoceros horn libation cups of the 17th century, reinterpreted in precious hardwood for the scholar’s desk. A comparable zitan ‘prunus and magnolia’ cup is in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in ‘The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Bamboo, Wood, Ivory and Rhinoceros Horn Carvings’, Hong Kong, 2002, pl. 142. Another, similar pair was offered at Zacke, Vienna, 11 October 2023, lot 16.
