Lot description
AN EARLY MING SUPERBLY CARVED CINNABAR LACQUER FOLIATED DISH YONGLE PERIOD, INSCRIBED YONGLE AND XUANDE SIX-CHARACTER MARKS (1403-1425) Well carved on the front interior medallion with a landscape scene depicting a scholar seated at a table reading in the moonlight before an incense burner issuing smoke, with one attendant at his side while another approaches bearing tea from within a pavilion, all set within terraced gardens beneath a tall pine tree, further detailed with ornamental rocks, wutong, and a crane in the foreground, against a land-diaper of eight-pointed rosettes, and humped curves representing water in the mid-distance, surrounded by pairs of floral blooms enclosed within eight bracket-lobed panels, repeated on the exterior, with conforming bracket form foot, the interior of the foot with black lacquer, the left side of the base carved and gilded with a six-character Xuande mark concealing the original Yongle mark 13 7/8 in. (35.2 cm.) diam., Japanese wood box
