At first glance, the peach-shaped box with coral inlay appears to be carved from red lacquer. But the piece – made specifically to celebrate the birthday of the Yongzheng Emperor (1678-1735) – is, in fact, a gold-bodied box with a surface overlaid with red coral. Each fragment of the vivid gemstone is cut and set so precisely that the joins almost disappear, creating a shimmering mottled crimson skin.
It is a deliberate exercise in restraint, executed entirely in one medium and, unusually for an imperial commission, left completely unadorned: no enamel, no gilding, no carved decoration, just the clean, taut lines of the vessel, a simple handle and the cool grey sheen of polished metal.
It is one of 157 national treasures currently on show at the Hong Kong Palace Museum as part of the “Design for the Forbidden City: Imperial Workshops of the Qing Court” exhibition. Other must-sees include beautiful jade works such as the “Myriad Cycles” box with 12 zodiac animals.
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