A rare and fine rhinoceros horn 'lotus and egrets' libation cup


17th centuryThe vessel in the form of an open lotus leaf, naturalistically carved around the exterior in high relief and openwork with gnarled knotty stems issuing undulating lotus blooms and leaf, vividly decorated with three egrets perching on the bending stems and millet leaves, the entangled stems forming the base, extending upwards to form the handle on one side of the cup, binding together with millet grass, the horn of an attractive amber honey tone, box. 14.6cm (5 5/8in) long (2).
|十七世紀 犀角雕路路連科杯Provenance:Sotheby's London, 2 December 1997, lot 77Angela Chua Collection, Hong KongExhibited:Hong Kong Museum of Art, Metal, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth: Gems of Antiquities Collections in Hong Kong, 2002-2005 Published and Illustrated:T.Fok, Connoisseurship of Rhinoceros Horn Carving in China, Hong Kong, 1999, p.164, no.113來源：倫敦蘇富比，1997年12月2日，拍品77香港蔡劉木蘭女士收藏展覽：2002-2005年間於香港藝術館《金木水火土：香港文物收藏精品展》中展出出版及著錄：霍滿棠，《中國犀角雕刻珍賞》，香港，1999年，頁164，圖113The craftsmanship of the present lot is remarkable in its naturalistic depiction of the studded stems and lotus flowers and leaves, as well as the lifelike egrets. The symbolism represented by the egrets or herons, which when depicted amidst lotus, represents the Confucian ideal of a virtuous official, as well as the meaning 'may your path be always upwards' - the characters for 'egret' (lu 鷺) and 'reed' (lu 蘆) are homophones for the character for 'road' (lu 路), and the character for 'lotus' (lian 蓮), is a homophone for the character for 'continuous' (lian 連). Together they form the phrase 'lu lu lian ke 路路連科', auguring well for a string of successes in exams and most probably alluding to the renowned Imperial jinshi examination, the gateway for appointment in the Imperial civil service and a secure and successful future.Compare with a related example of a rhinoceros horn cup carved with egrets in the Museum voor Volkenkunde, Rotterdam, illustrated by J.Chapman, The Art of Rhinoceros Horn Carving in China, London, 1999, no.83; see also a rhinoceros horn 'lotus and egrets' cup, which was sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 8 October 2014, lot 3784. The depiction of such studded stems can be compared to a rhinoceros horn 'lotus and aquatic plants' cup in the collection of Hong Kong Museum of Art, illustrated by T.Fok, Connoisseurship of Rhinoceros Horn Carving in China, Hong Kong, 1999, p.139, no.90.類似飾鷺蓮紋之犀角杯，亦見於重要博物館和私人收藏內，見荷蘭鹿特丹博物館藏一例，著錄於Jan Chapman，《中國的犀牛角雕刻藝術》，倫敦，1999年，編號83；另見香港蘇富比曾售出相同題材之犀角杯，2014年10月8日，拍品3784。此杯杯柄以綬帶繫著幾株蓮莖，蓮莖雕刻尤其寫實，風格相類者，可參考香港藝術館藏一件十七世紀的犀角雕水族蓮花杯，錄於霍滿棠，《中國犀角雕刻珍賞》，香港，1999年，頁139，圖90。