Beschreibung:

AN UNUSUAL CHINESE CLOISONNE AND CHAMPLEVE ENAMEL PAGODA Assembled, incorporating 18th century elements, to create an elaborate pagoda, the openwork base formed by alternating layered sections of scrolling foliage raised on three gilt-bronze buddhistic lions positioned below three boys alternating with a large dragon head, a ribbon-tied double-gourd vase decorated with shou and two ji characters, and a drum inscribed with a Qianlong four-character mark and surmounted by a fish, the boys with their hands behind them to support a platform of endless-knot form enamelled top and bottom in pinkish lavender and set on one side with a gate surmounted by a large bird and on the opposite side with a pavilion incorporating a panel cast in relief with the characters, tian xia tai ping , in the center rises an ornate pedestal throne surmounted by the kneeling figure of a guardian king wearing armor and holding a shield while brandishing a sword, surrounded by six slender columns entwined with dragons and applied with bats that support a pagoda roof hung with bells, applied with champlevé enamel openwork plaques and surmounted by a flaming cintamani , the underside of the roof decorated with a large shou medallion encircled by three bats 27½ in. (70 cm.) high