This rare and impressive screen features a central scene modelled with the Taoist “Temple of Mystery” surrounded by trees. The façade of the building is inscribed with the characters “Xuan Gong Miao”.
A tilemaker ‘sancai’-glazed table screen with Taoist temple inscription and carved wood stand (Jiajing period, 1522-1566, circa 1550)
Description
Dimensions: screen 51cm high, 37cm wide
Provenance:
Acquired from an old English collection in the 1980s
Private collection Isle of Man
Private collection in England, by inheritance
This rare and impressive screen features a central scene modelled with the Taoist “Temple of Mystery” surrounded by trees. The façade of the building is inscribed with the characters “Xuan Gong Miao”. The central scene is set within an intricately carved openwork frame in high relief.
The Taoist Temple of Mystery is located in the ancient city of Suzhou, with a lane called Gong Xiang running along a north-south axis leading to its gates. Given Emperor Jiajing of the Ming dynasty’s strong devotion to Taoism, it is likely that this unique scholar’s table screen was crafted during his reign.
This table screen is made of stoneware and was fired twice due to the use of a low-temperature lead glaze. The first firing, at a high temperature, was to fuse the body, while the second, lower-temperature firing was used to set the glaze.
Dating consistent with the results of thermoluminescence test, Oxford Authentication Ltd., no. C123b79
