Beschreibung:

A RARE PAIR OF MASSIVE CARVED MULTI-COLOR LACQUER PEACH-FORM BOXES 18th/19th century Each finely carved in elaborate detail through the layers of red, dark green, ochre, reddish-brown and olive-green lacquer with scenes of immortals: one cover with Xiwangmu shown seated on a phoenix as it flies towards her elaborate palace where another scene of Xiwangmu is also shown, this time a monkey kneels on the the steps of the palace as he offers the immortal, who is seated within, a peach that he has stolen from one of her trees, with female attendants and musicians shown on the terrace and palace grounds, including one holding a bottle which issues vapor enclosing a shou character and bats; the other cover carved with Shoulao, the god of Longevity, examining a scroll in a well-appointed scholar's study while outside the Eight Immortals with their attributes are shown at various pursuits: Zhang Guo Lao leaning over the balustrade of the study as he looks down at his mule running free in the foreground where He Xiangu and Lancai He walk, while on the terrace Zhongli Quan, Han Xiangzi and Cao Guojiu stand peering up at Lu Dongbin and Li Tieguai, who pours a multi-colored stream of elixir from his double-gourd flask; the sides of both boxes carved with a continuation of the scene on the cover and each interior fitted with a shallow red lacquer tray carved with a large shou character surrounded by five bats, the wufu , reserved against a ground of wan diaper below a narrow band of demi-diaper on the rim, the interiors and bases covered in black lacquer 22in. (56.9cm.) across, boxes (2)