Nashornbecher. Qing-Zeit Von typischer nach außen schwingender Form von ovalem Querschnitt. Der Griff in Form von vier verschlungenen Regendrachen, um die Wandung ein breites Band mit C-Voluten. Im Boden Siegelschriftmarke: Hu Xingyue zuo. H 8,2 cm; L 14,8 cm Provenienz Privatsammlung, Düsseldorf Literatur Vgl. einen ähnlichen, aber aufwändiger geschnitzten archaisierenden Becher mit einerm fast identischen Siege, abgeb. in: Thomas Fok, Connoisseurship of Rhinoceros Horn Carving in China, Hong Kong 1999, Nr. 27 A fine archaistic rhinoceros libation cup. Qing dynasty Of oval cross-section with tapering body, the mid-section carved in shallow relief with a band of C-shaped scrolls intercepted by three vertical serrated flanges, the flattened rim with a carved key-pattern band, the openwork handle formed by entwined qi dragons crawling over the rim. The recessed base with the raised seal-script mark Hu Xingyue zuo. There are four marks at the foot arranged at four points of a square indicating possible former legs, such as on ding-shaped horn carvings (T. Fok, Connoisseurship of Rhinoceros Horn Carving in China, Hong Kong 1999, no. 45) making an interesting combination of the jue and ding vessels. With references to archaic bronzes, typical for the 18th century, this cup also features a somewhat restrained, controlled central decorative band with vertical flanges, contrasting effectively with the more expressive handle, comparable with other examples by this artist. Although the volute decoration is seldom seen on rhinoceros cups, it can be found on jade of the Warring States period. See a jade gong vessel dated 1650-1750 illustrated in Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, Later Chinese Jades, 2007, p. 166, fig. 153. The carver Hu Xingyue is known only by his varying four-character seal mark, no biographical information on him is known, (J. Chapman, The Art of Rhinoceros Carving in China, London 1999, p. 129). In her book Jan Chapman gives an 18th century dating for Hu Xingyue, whilst signed examples in the regulated Palace archives suggest that the artist must already have been working before the Qing dynasty, (for example no. 134 in Bamboo, Wood and Ivory Carvings, The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Hong Kong, 2002, vol. 44, p. 152). To date, a number of rhinoceros horn libation cups bearing this mark Hu Xingyue zuo have come to light, numbering approximately thirteen cups, the majority of which are in museum collections (Palace Museum, Beijing, Victoria & Albert Museum, London, Wereldmuseum, Rotterdam). Height 8.4 cm; length 14.8 cm Provenance Private collection, Düsseldorf Literature Compare a similar but more intricately carved archaistic cup bearing an almost identical seal mark by this carver illustrated in: Thomas Fok, Connoisseurship of Rhinoceros Horn Carving in China, Hong Kong 1999, no. 27