Diameter: 18.9 cm. (7 1/2 in.)
Tang dynasty
8th century
The thickly cast eight-lobed bronze mirror was fashioned with a large round knob in the center of the decorated side, perforated for a suspension cord. The undecorated side, the reflective surface, is now dulled and partially covered with patina. The single dragon that was the usual motif for such Tang and post-Tang mirrors is replaced here by a pair of dragons, the anchor of an uncompromisingly symmetrical composition while at the same time the serpents themselves provide a fluid, organic vitality to the design.
The two dragons, elegant, sleek, and exhibiting great agility, are linked at the necks where they wrap once around each other, the necks supporting their intricately detailed heads with pairs of curved horns, thick manes, and bearded jaws open to exude long stems supporting fungus heads, the auspicious form repeated in the scudding clouds of the background. The densely scaled bodies, short limbs and interlocked tails are consummately cast in high, crisp relief.
We are quite accustomed to seeing such birds as phoenixes, doves, and peacocks depicted in pairs in Tang mirror decoration. Such coupling conveys states of happiness, conviviality, marital bliss and like the present the creatures might be aligned facing each other on a vertical axis producing also a sense of nobility and majesty. Lions and deer are among the animals that also appear in multiples or in pairs. That paired dragons in Tang mirror decoration are so infrequently encountered is a bit baffling, especially given the powerful impact of the pairing. A small number have been reported from tombs in Hebei province dating to the Tang (figs. 1-3) and also to the Song (figs. 4-6) but not a significant number in comparison to the mirrors decorated with single dragons known in collections worldwide and from excavations in China. The remarkable beauty of this mirror is indeed matched by the considerable rarity of similar examples today.
A Chinese Cizhou-ware Ceramic Pillow with Double-phoenix Décor
North Song period
11th / early 12th century
Length: 45 cm
Width: 33 cm
Height: 28 cm
This stoneware ingot-shaped pillow is a breathtaking example of a technique for producing ceramic decoration perfected by Cizhou potters during the 11th century of the Song dynasty in northern China. These craftsmen got a kick-start on what would become a stunningly creative path by mimicking the imperially sanctioned white wares of the times. They accomplished this through the application of a white-slip to mask the dark local clays from which their wares were made. This slip-coating not only produced the appearance of a “white” ware but prompted further borrowing, as in the present case, from Tang-dynasty craftsmen creating works from precious metals. The ceramic decorators reproduced the engraved, hammered, and ring-punch metalwork techniques by incising and carving through the slip (the technique termed sgraffiato) to the dark body below to form motifs and by punching tiny rings with metal, bamboo, or reed tools to fill the backgrounds. The remarkable precision apparent in the production of the rare double-phoenix design on the headrest of the pillow here and the density and intricate placement of the stamped rings forming the ground are exemplary, producing an effect that is as close to refined metalware decoration as a potter could get.
The brilliance of the 11th-century artists who created and produced such vivid and seemingly timeless works lives in those creations that have survived. Among them, of unquestionable importance, is the British Museum pillow dated by inscription to 1071. The boldly carved chrysanthemum blossoms on the side and the contrasting delicate incising and ring-punching on the headrest are the hallmarks of this group produced primarily at such major centers of production as Dengfengxian and Mixian in Henan and Guantai in the heart of Cizhou production in southern Hebei province.
A bean-shaped pillow representing what must have been a very popular Northern Song period pillow form decorated with incised and ring-punch techniques is one handled by Mayuyama & Co. and published in their compendium Mayuyama Seventy Years. Among rare and outstanding examples of rectangular or “ingot-shaped” pillows with sgraffiato décor and with the rare double-phoenix motif is one in the former Mr. & Mrs. Yeung Wing Tak collection that has been attributed to the Chengguan kiln, Xinan, Henan province.
Hawk on Branch
1427
Hanging scroll, ink and color on silk
45 1/2 x 23 1/2 in. (115.8 x 59.9 cm)
Inscription:
“Hawks flocking together in lofty groves have unyielding characters. Formerly they were compared to the virtuous in cities…. when at leisure from the ten-thousand affairs of state, I then call for (brush and ink) from the study and paint so as to banish my cares and give lodging to my feelings of loneliness.
Created by the Emperor during the first ten days of the 8th lunar month in Autumn, of the 2nd year of the Xuan….x…….. reign-era and presented to Eunuch Wang Zhong.”
An Underglaze-blue Porcelain Dish with Deer Design 青青鹿紋菊花形瓷盤
Late Ming dynasty
Late 16th-early 17th century
Diameter: 8 in. (20.3 cm)
Height: 1.38 in. (3.4 cm)
The small, thinly potted dish was wheel thrown and pressed over a mould to produce a double row of multiple lobes or flutes in the cavetto, the lip rim finished with gentle scallops corresponding to the fluting, the wide flat base enclosed within a low v-shaped slightly inturned foot, the unglazed foot rim with a modicum of grit adhering and with some fritting to the lip rim. The focus of the design is a pair of deer within a loosely executed landscape of vague hillocks and foliage. One deer turns its head back as it moves forward, gazing at the second deer following behind, the bright cobalt blue brushed on in fluid washes, consistent in color throughout, the motifs enhanced with lineament, in places as brief outlines, in others as decorative or descriptive curved or straight comb-like lines. The flutes were each further defined with pencil- thin outlines and each completed with a thick blue stripe down its center. A double line circles the exterior of the foot while a loose scroll circles the foot at the base of the exterior wall. The glaze is clear, smooth and bright.
A Discovery of Dragons is just that! After finding an extremely rare two-dragon decorated Tang mirror late last year, we were encouraged to honor the Year of the Dragon with an exhibition featuring dragons. As we were continuing to acquire and select works for the show, we found dragons lurking everywhere, as if waiting for the perfect time to show themselves.
Among our finds: a Ryukyuan lacquer stand with mother-of-pearl dragon laying claim to the tabletop (no. 16), a white stoneware Vietnamese bowl with molded dragons like ghosts beneath a luminescent glaze (no. 12), and a massive late-Ming Chaozhou dish where the lizard-like zhi dragons slither in white slip across its deep brown glaze (no. 14). A dragon and tiger, symbols of east and west, are the subjects of a pair of paintings by a Goseon-period painter, an idiosyncratic representation of a subject of great moment during the Song and Yuan period in China. Joining the discovery of dragons are further acquisitions from our current Asian forays, including a Goryeo celadon bowl with a molded design of three lively boys unleashed in a world of lotus (no. 13) and an extremely rare Shonzui bottle in the shape of an ancient jade cong, decorated with a version of the mystical trigrams (or bagua “eight symbols”) (no. 15).
Two individuals deserve special recognition and gratitude in bringing this exhibition to fruition. We would like to offer our deepest thanks to Hiroshi Kawasaki in Osaka who transcribed and did initial translations of all the inscriptions and seals on the paintings as well as the painting and object boxes whenever inscriptions occurred. This time around we have included as much of his work as possible in the details that follow the captions. This was made possible through our assistant, Robert Lyman, who is responsible for all manner of things relating not only to the Onomea Bay premises but to all things Kaikodo, and importantly in this respect, photography. All the photography was done by Robert. The only exceptions are several of the main images [nos. 4, 10, 11, 12, 14, 17, 20, 22] which were taken by John Bigelow Taylor and Dianne Dubler. Robert was also responsible for formatting and uploading the exhibition on our website, a task of great moment which he handled effortlessly.
