Zitang wooden seal box ‘Dragons’, Qing dynasty

Made of dark-coloured sandalwood or zitan wood. It has a cubic shape, designed to hold a large seal, and is entirely decorated on its five visible sides with superb bas-relief carvings. The design shows several five-clawed imperial dragons moving sinuously among dense volutes of clouds and flames. It is notable for its meticulous details in the scales, manes and fierce expressions, all framed by an elegant border of geometric patterns.

It is accompanied by a large carved stone seal with a square base, decorated with incised characters and crowned by the image of a mythical beast in a crouching position, accompanied by a small cub. Qing dynasty (1644–1912).

Box size: 21 x 17 x 17 cm; Seal size: 8 x 8.4 x 8.4 cm.

Seal weight: 819 g.

Provenance:

· Private collection, France.