Pavilion is thrilled to announce our Winter Collection, with a particular focus on narrative this season which includes moulded ceramics from Jingdezhen and two exclusive inside painted bottles by Ye Zhongsan. One of the ceramics in particular titled Scenes from the Western Chamber depicts a moment from the Xixiangji 西廂記 – considered to be China’s most popular love comedy and the intriguing story of a young couple consummating their love without parental approval.
This narrative element is continued in Immortals in a Garden which brilliantly depicts two scenes from the Liaozhai zhiyi 聊齋志異, one showing Fu Lian 傳廉 in a tree looking down upon Qiaoniang 巧孃 and her two maids. But perhaps the star of the group is Immortal Dance an extremely finely carved Suzhou chalcedony with the memorable inscription ‘Cai zhi xiang leng wu chanxian’ 採芝香冷舞蟾仙 or rather ‘Picking fungus, the fragrance grows cold, causing the Toad Immortal to dance’.
As ever, we hope that there is something here for everyone, mortals and immortals alike.