Just before the private, guarded wooden doors open, as suited security stand beside three Qianlong relics that are safely kept a metre behind a roped, cordoned-off area, we’re informed in hushed tones that China’s most powerful emperor’s treasures are within vicinity.
Even the estimated cost of these artefacts is staggering. And yet—we were told at an intimate press preview at Sotheby’s Hong Kong dotted with curators and connoisseurs—just three or four years ago, each piece would have expected to fetch over HK$100 million each. Now, three for HK$215 million seems like a bargain. An imperial white jade “Qianlong Yubi” seal with a twin-dragon knob carved in the early Qing dynasty (estimated at HK$70 million to HK$90 million), a rare imperial album featuring a portrait of the Qianlong Emperor by Jesuit artist Giuseppe Castiglione (HK$50 million to HK$70 million), and a glazed “dragon” moon flask with striking chiaroscuro effect (HK$35 million to HK$55 million) are up for grabs.
What makes each individual piece so precious, apart from its historical significance, impeccable upkeep, provenance, and quality, is the rarity of being held by private hands, and rarer still of any being available for private collection at auction. Previously, the pure white jade seal with a masterfully articulated double-dragon carving was in the collection of Émile Guimet (1836–1918), the founder of the Musée Guimet in Paris. He collected the piece from “the imperial hand of Qianlong” as per the inscription, as the imperial emblem was stamped on the works of art and calligraphy scrolls made by the emperor himself during the rule of Huang Taiji (1592–1643). For the Qianlong Emperor, who famously travelled the length and breadth of China visiting and viewing great works of art, he wanted his legacy to be his artistic and cultural accomplishments. Great museums of the world have similar treasures under lock and key; for such rare collectables to reach the auction table is rare feat indeed.
“We are excited to present this season to celebrate the Year of the Dragon three exceptional works of art that channel this foremost symbol of imperial power,” says Nicolas Chow, chairman of Asia and chairman and worldwide head of Asian Art, Sotheby’s. “All three were produced for the exclusive use and enjoyment of the Qianlong Emperor, the world’s most powerful man on earth during the 18th century. The superbly carved seal is possibly the finest and among the largest produced for that emperor, while the album includes the only portrait of Qianlong in private hands.”
As Xibo Wang, head of department of Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, gently unfolds each parchment of the extremely rare imperial album comprising a portrait of Emperor Qianlong by Giuseppe Castiglione (Lang Shining), he slowly turns page after page of imperial inscriptions and court paintings by Dong Bangda, Zou Yigui, Qian Weicheng, Ding Guanpeng, and seal impressions from the Qianlong period of the Qing dynasty. “This season, our offerings are more captivating than ever before, where imperial masterpieces reign supreme. Reflecting the impeccable taste of the most influential Chinese art collectors around the globe, these outstanding collections offer an opportunity to explore the unprecedented depth and breadth of Chinese art.”
Carrie Li, deputy chairman of Chinese Works of Art, Sotheby’s Asia, explains that, based on their experience, wearing gloves to hold such precious parchment would probably lead to a slip and tear. “Only when you hold items of bronze do you need to wear gloves,” she explains while rifling through the pages, handled gingerly by the very tip and corner of paper that holds such precious information, art, and calligraphy; the inscription inside, according to court records, reflects that the portrait was possibly completed “by the 27th day of the 12th month in the 21st year of the Qianlong period” (15 February 1757 in the Gregorian calendar).
More than 260 years later, these rare artefacts have reached Hong Kong shores. What surprised the team was, of course, the size of the imperial seal—massive compared to most others—and the flawless quality of the white jade. “You really have to see these great works of art in person,” comments Li. “You aren’t just witnessing great art, but great history.”
Sotheby’s Hong Kong Spring Auction
Public Exhibition: 2–8 April 2024
Chinese Art Live Auction: 9 April 2024
Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, 1 Expo Drive, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
All images courtesy of Sotheby’s.
