‘DRINKING WINE THROUGH A LOTUS LEAF’, QING DYNASTYChina, 18th to first half of 19th century. Ink and watercolors on paper. Depicting a palacepound scene with a family and three attendants, a pair seated at the table below a lychee tree. The female attendant pouring wine into a lotus leaf through which the man is drinking, hispanion seated on the opposite side and drinking from a cup. The table filled with lotus roots, water chestnuts, and lychee fruit. Two attendants standing nearby, one holding a lotus flower, the other a fan and lychees, while a lady and child observe the scene from a window above. The background with a lotus pond with cranes, and pavilions behind a wall.Inscriptions: Two seals, ‘Shi’ and ‘Chun’.Provenance: From a private collection in London, United Kingdom.Condition: Very good condition with minor wear and little creasing.Framed behind glass. (2)Dimensions: Image size 30.5 x 40.7 cm, Size incl. mounting 43.5 x 53.5 cmUsing a fresh lotus leaf as a drinking vessel was invented during the Three Kingdoms period (220-280). One summer, an official called Zheng Que was enjoying the cool breeze from a lotus pond. The lotus leaves gave him an unusual idea. He picked a fresh leaf and poked out the center, creating a green tube stretching from leaf to stem. As the wine goes through the stem, it absorbs the lotus fragrance and acquires a refreshing and slightly bitter taste. According to ancient beliefs, this bitterness clears the heart and soothes the mood during the hot summer months. Su Dongpo, the well-known poet and gourmand of the 11th century, was so fascinated by this way of drinking that he brought it with him when he was assigned to an official post in Guangdong in the south of China. It was well-received by the locals there since they already cooked rice inside of lotus leaves. The usage of this fascinating method continues to this day.清代外銷畫《碧筒飲》中國，十八世紀上半葉至十九世紀，紙本水墨設色。描繪了暑月臨水為席，以荷葉為酒杯的避暑場景。一位男子正把荷葉莖部放在嘴邊，一位婦人正將美酒緩緩倒入荷葉。桌旁有一棵荔枝樹，一位夫人坐在桌旁端著杯子喝水。桌子上擺滿了蓮藕、荸薺和荔枝。一個童子拿著荷花，一個婦人拿著扇子和荔枝，還有一位婦人和一個小童從上面的窗戶裡看著這一幕。池中荷花盛開，四周亭台樓閣。鈴印：世，春