A Rare and Fine Imperial Folding Fan

QIANLONG PERIOD (1736-1799)

gilt ink on indigo-colored paper, zitan wood frames.

Painting:
Qian Weicheng (1720-1772)
Birds Perched on Begonia Branches
signed with two seals: Chen, Cheng.

Calligraphy on the reverse:
Liang Shizheng (1697-1763)
The Imperial Selection of Tang Poetry
signed with two seals: Chen, Liang.

Frame:
Ji Yun (1724-1805)
Calligraphy of the Imperial Poem of 'Hanchun Shi'
signed and inscribed.

The present lot demonstrates the culmination of a collaborative effort between three members of the imperial cabinet dear to the Qianlong emperor, made during the golden years of his reign in the eighteenth century. Of this fan, the guard bears refined calligraphy by Ji Yun in an inscription of an imperial poem, while scholar-official Liang Shizheng provided luxurious and attentive calligraphy of ten classic Tang verses selected by the emperor to describe vignettes of spring and its sense of boundless possibility. Finally, Qian Weicheng lent a hand more familiar with landscape to a rarely seen bird and flower painting.

Examples of similar imperial fans are held in the collections of both the Palace Museum in Beijing and the National Place Museum in Taipei. These extant examples largely consist of works considered in their time as precious examples; whereas the Hanchun studio described in Qianlong’s poem inscribed on the present lot in the Hall of Mental Cultivation was a location frequented by the emperor. Indeed, the ribs show old traces from opening and retracting quite possibly borne by imperial hand.

清乾隆御製詩書畫集錦扇

磁青紙泥金，紫檀骨摺扇

畫：
錢維城(1720-1772)
聚英繽紛
款識：臣錢維城恭繪
鈐印：臣、城

書：
梁詩正(1697-1763)
御選唐詩
釋文：王昌齡《春宮曲》、《宴春源》、《西官春怨》、《芙蓉楼送辛渐》、《采莲曲》；杜甫《絕句》、《贈花卿》；李白《客中作》、《望庐山瀑布》、《清平调》兩首
款識：臣梁詩正敬書

柄：
紀昀(1724-1805)
御製《涵春室》詩
釋文：已覺風和而氣淖，底湏草緑與花妍。徒言此室涵春者，豈識春涵室萬千
款識：尚書臣紀昀敬書

這是乾隆全盛時代留下的君臣翰墨，由三位得意近臣合力完成：紀曉嵐書御題詩扇骨，典雅悦目；大學士梁詩正書扇面，華貴雍容，端凝如貴婦，且十首御選詩描繪的俱是春景，暗透春意無邊；背面的花鳥圖出自錢維城，錢的翎毛極少見——大約他自己也知道不擅于此，聖命之下，只有勉力爲之。

兩岸故宮藏有摺扇數十柄，但詩書畫集錦且俱出自名家的，珍罕之極。御題詩中所言之涵春室，也就是乾隆日常起居的養心殿後殿，此扇摺痕宛然，那麽極有可能是天家摩挲把玩的手澤了！

Length overall 25 x height 14 5/8 in., 63.5 x 47.3 cm.

Property from the Collection of George R. Bruha, Chicago, Illinois

Acquired from Hong Kong in the 1980-90s.

For similar examples, see The Palace Museum, accession no. 故00136801, 故00136803, 故00136805, 故00136806, 故00136678-1/10, 故00136757-4/24.

Overall presenting in good condition. The integrity of the structural elements in very good condition, with some soiling in carved and incised recesses of the guard and water marks to the visible lower ribs. The calligraphy section showing several small stable tears to the bottom, and some minute pigment losses (apparently due to possible adhesive residue). The later stand in fine condition.

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Annie Wu

Senior Vice President, Head of Department, Asian Art

anniewu@freemansauction.com 312.447.3260

Ms. Wu joined the firm in 2014, after working as a specialist in the Asian Works of Art Department of an East Coast auction house. She researches, appraises, and sells Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indian, and South East Asian works of art, including jades, bronzes, ceramics, paintings, armor, and furniture. Throughout her career, Ms. Wu has achieved record prices for several prominent estates and collections, including the Estate of Frank G. Mertes, Sr., Winona, Minnesota; the Chinese Painting Collection of Ms. Yuan Jiaying and Mr. Li Guoyuan, Chicago; the Estate of Hisazo Nagatani, Chicago, and the Asian Art Collection deaccessioned from the Strong Museum of Play, Rochester, New York.

Flora Zhang

Specialist, Asian Works of Art

florazhang@freemansauction.com 312.447.3290

Megan Sadler

Associate Specialist, Asian Works of Art

megansadler@hindmanauctions.com 312.600.6066

Please email for any additional information or questions you may have regarding this lot.

Chinese and Southeast Asian Works of Art

A Rare and Fine Imperial Folding Fan

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