Mythical Animals

Asian Art in London 2019

The works of art illustrated in this catalogue will be offered for sale by Ben Janssens Oriental Art at Asian Art in London which takes place from 31 October to 09 November 2019.

OPENING HOURS ASIAN ART IN LONDON 2019

31 October: 10am – 6pm
01 November: 10am – 6pm
02 November: 10am – 5pm
03 November: 12 noon – 5pm
04 November: 10am – 8pm
05 – 08 November: 10am – 6pm

Asian Art in London

We are pleased to offer for sale a selection of Chinese works of art on the theme of mythical animals. The pieces included in this exhibition range in date from the Warring States period, 5th century BC to the 19th century and encompass a variety
of materials as diverse as pottery, stone, bronze, porcelain, lacquer, jade, soapstone, glass, amber and enamel.

Among the pieces included is a fine pottery bowl and cover with animals, dating to the Han dynasty, 206 BC – 220 AD. Unusually, the flat top is impressed with a hawk-like bird with outstretched wings and largeclaws, sitting with its head tucked into his body. A very good jade rhyton or drinking vessel with a makara base dates from the 17th or 18th century. This rhyton comes from the collection of a Russian diplomat, living in Geneva. The Swiss photographer Frederic Boisonnas (1858 -1946) who ran the fam ily photo studio until 1920, photographed the collection of the diplomat in situ and several of his photographs feature the present rhyton. A beautifully painted Canton enamel wine pot has a very unusual decoration of three dragons pursuing flaming pearls.