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To mark the Year of the Dragon, we look back at items from Christie’s sales that evoke this mythical emblem of power and good fortune, from an Eileen Gray ‘Dragons’ armchair to an Art Deco vanity case by Cartier 6park.com
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The dragon is the fifth animal, and the sole mythical creature, in the Chinese zodiac. As the most powerful of the 12 zodiacal beasts, it has come to symbolise honour, luck, goodness and strength. Those born in the Year of the Dragon are said to be courageous, tenacious, confident and intelligent.
In Chinese cultural imagery, the dragon represents the beneficent emperor, and is often depicted emerging from crested waves or flying among clouds. The link between dragons and Chinese emperors dates back to the Yellow Emperor (Huangdi), the first known emperor of China, whose dates are usually given as 2697-2597 B.C. According to legend, he transformed into a dragon upon his death.
As we enter the Year of the Dragon, we look back at 12 dragon-themed works, all of which have been offered at Christie’s.
An Eileen Gray ‘Dragons’ armchair
Born in Ireland in 1878, Eileen Gray was a leading exponent of Modernism in architecture and design. Like many of her female contemporaries, however, she was overlooked for much of her career, only finding widespread recognition in the final decade of her life (she lived to be 98). ‘I was not a pusher, and maybe that’s the reason I did not get the place I should have had,’ the designer once said.
Gray enrolled at the Slade School of Fine Art in 1898, before moving to Paris in 1902 to study drawing at the Académie Julian. It was in Paris that she first experimented with lacquering, a traditional East Asian craft.
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Eileen Gray (1878-1976), the ‘Dragons’ armchair, circa 1917-19. Pictured in Yves Saint Laurent’s apartment on the rue de Babylone in Paris, it sold for €21,905,000 on 25 February 2009 at Christie’s in Paris 6park.com
Her early lacquerwares are characterised by their pared-back design: figurative details are often combined with the abstract forms that were favoured by the Paris avant-garde.
Crafted between 1917 and 1919, this black leather ‘Dragons’ armchair has a sculpted wooden frame, lacquered brownish orange, that takes the form of two intertwined dragons. Their eyes are expressed in black lacquer, while their bodies are decorated in low relief with stylised clouds.
Commissioned by Suzanne Talbot, one of Gray’s first patrons, it exemplifies the designer’s daring vision as well as her virtuosic craftsmanship. Offered from the Collection of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé at Christie’s in Paris in 2009, it sold for €21,905,000, more than seven times the high estimate.
An imperial ‘Nine Dragon’ lacquer throne
This extremely rare lacquer throne, with a stepped back separated into three vertical panels, dates from the Qianlong period (1736-1795). Although a significant number of thrones from this era are preserved in the Palace Museum in Beijing, very few are made of carved red lacquer.
‘Lacquering was an incredibly laborious process and one only undertaken by highly skilled craftsmen,’ said Marco Almeida, Christie’s head of Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, before the throne’s sale in 2019. ‘The use of three-coloured lacquer was saved only for the most important imperial pieces.’ 6park.com
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An imperial three-colour carved ‘Nine Dragon’ lacquer throne, Qianlong period (1736-1795). 43¼ x 45½ x 33¾ in (111.1 x 115.5 x 85.7 cm). Sold for £6,108,250 on 14 May 2019 at Christie’s in London 6park.com
The throne’s front panel features a five-clawed dragon set against a sea of clouds, also regarded as auspicious symbols, which are shaped like lingzhi — the fungus symbolising immortality. Eight further five-clawed dragons, each in pursuit of flaming pearls — which symbolise wisdom, harmony and prosperity in ancient Chinese culture — are depicted on the throne’s sides.
On its reverse is a Daoist bat holding a chime and a pair of twin-fish, one of the eight auspicious Buddhist emblems symbolising abundance, harmony and marital bliss.
What makes this throne particularly special, though, is its condition and rarity. ‘It was the first time in at least a decade that a throne of this type had come up on the open market,’ Almeida explained. After a spirited bidding battle, it soared above its high estimate of £1,200,000 to achieve £6,108,250.
An Alexander Calder maquette
This sculpture served as a maquette for Alexander Calder’s monumental standing mobile Fafnir-Dragon II (1969), which is installed outside the Nagoya City Art Museum in Japan. Like the final version, it comprises a red stabile-like base and a delicately balanced rotating mobile with five panels: black and white at one end, and orange, yellow and blue at the other. The base has two front legs and a longer surface element that ends in a curl.
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Alexander Calder (1898-1976), Fafnir-Dragon II (maquette), 1969. Painted sheet metal, brass and wire. 29 x 37½ x 15½ in (73.7 x 95.3 x 39.4 cm). Sold for £735,650 on 27 June 2012 at Christie’s in London. © 2024 Calder Foundation, New York / DACS London 6park.com
The story of Fafnir — a Norse dwarf who was part of a conspiracy to steal a hoard of gold from the gods, and who was later transformed into a dragon — may have inspired the title for this non-objective composition, given after the fact of creation, in which fields of pure colour are set in motion. The yellow and orange panels enhance the principle of disparity in this dynamic work.
A Ming dynasty dragon carpet
Only 16 complete Ming dragon carpets are known to exist. This example, woven in the 16th century, would originally have been placed beneath the emperor’s throne in Beijing’s Forbidden City. It depicts two five-clawed dragons chasing a flaming pearl, with scrolling clouds above and rolling waves beneath. Like all Ming carpets, it was once a dark imperial red which has now faded to a golden yellow. 6park.com
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An imperial throne carpet with double dragon and seed pearl motif, Ming dynasty, 16th century. 16 ft 7 in x 14 ft 7 in (507 cm x 451 cm). Sold for €6,881,000 on 23 November 2021 at Christie’s in Paris 6park.com
‘Standing before such a carpet, one cannot help but be transported back to the impressive palace interiors of the Ming emperors,’ said Christie’s Rugs and Carpets specialist Louise Broadhurst ahead of its sale (for €6,881,000) on 23 November 2021 at Christie’s in Paris. ‘For this carpet to have survived in such remarkable condition is in itself a rare feat.’
A limited-edition Hermès Bolide bag
Originally conceived in 1923 as a travel accessory, the Bolide was the first Hermès bag with a zip closure. In the 100 years since its inception, the dome-shaped carry-all has been reimagined in an array of colours, materials and sizes, and become a firm favourite with stylists, handbag collectors and A-listers.
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A limited-edition black Togo leather Chimeres Dragon Bolide 1923 45 with palladium hardware, Hermès, 2020. Sold for HK$113,400 on 26 November 2022 at Christie’s in Hong Kong 6park.com
Crafted from black Togo leather, this limited-edition example from 2020 features sturdy top-handles, palladium hardware and a winged dragon on its front panel. To create the textured dragon design, Hermès used its innovative tufting technique, whereby the embroidery is worked directly onto the leather.
A carved ‘Dragon’ Qianlong vase
Chinese ceramic vases of the meiping variety are characterised by a small mouth, slender neck and broad or rounded shoulders tapering to a narrow circular foot. They have been used as imperial decoration since the Song dynasty (960-1279), but monochrome celadon-glazed examples were particularly popular at court during the reign of the Qianlong emperor (1736-1795).
The superb quality of this blue-green celadon-glazed meiping vase suggests that it was made during the first 10 to 20 years of Qianlong’s reign, under the supervision of the great ceramicist Tang Ying (1682-1756). It is the only known example of its kind, and was probably designed to decorate the halls of the Forbidden Palace in Beijing.
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A carved ‘Dragon’ celadon-glazed meiping, Qianlong period (1736-1795). Sold for HK$81,060,000 on 29 November 2022 at Christie’s in Hong Kong 6park.com
Its surface decoration comprises a three-clawed front-facing dragon, which stands above two lively but slightly subordinate five-clawed dragons, all set against a backdrop of swirling clouds and rolling waves. According to Christie’s specialist Chi Fan Tsang, the design represents the tradition of a respected elder passing on his wisdom and classical values to the next generation.
In recent years, single-glaze Chinese ceramics have attracted increasing interest at auction. It’s no surprise then that this rare and precious Qianlong vase realised HK$81,060,000 — the equivalent of more than US$10 million — when it was offered at Christie’s in Hong Kong in November 2022.
An imperial dragon robe
In Qing dynasty China, clothes were designed to indicate rank and status. Yellow was considered the most auspicious shade, and was reserved for the royal family, while blue could be worn by minor princes or noblemen. 6park.com
Emperors’ robes were especially ornate and rich in symbolic meaning. This magnificent yellow silk example from the Jiaqing period (1796-1820) is decorated with the 12 symbols of imperial authority: the sun, moon, seven-star constellation and mountain are found on the shoulders, chest and mid-back; the fu pattern, axe head, dragons and golden pheasant on the body; and the seaweed, libation cups, flames and grain on the bottom and skirt. 6park.com
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An imperial yellow kesi 12-symbol dragon robe, or longpao, made for the Emperor, Jiaqing period (1796-1820). 59¼ x 75¾ in (150.4 x 192.4 cm). Sold for $756,500 on 23 March 2018 at Christie’s in New York 6park.com
The five-clawed dragons are woven in metallic gold threads, while the clouds are almost exclusively in shades of blue. What makes this robe particularly special is its intricate floral-trellis background (most comparable robes feature a plain yellow ground). Offered fresh to market from the family collection of General Joseph W. Stilwell in 2018, it realised $756,500 — nearly 10 times the low estimate.
An Art Deco ‘dragon’ vanity case by Cartier
The 1920s and 1930s saw Cartier create fine jewellery and everyday objects such as clocks, cigarette cases and picture frames in the Art Deco style, enhanced with Oriental motifs, lacquer panels and materials such as jade and lapis lazuli.
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An Art Deco enamel and diamond ‘dragon’ vanity case, Cartier, 1930. Sold for CHF100,000 on 10 November 2020 at Christie’s in Geneva 6park.com
This vanity case, which opens to reveal a mirror, a hinged comb rest, a lidded powder compartment, a lipstick holder and a cigarette compartment, is an exquisite example of Cartier’s signature style of the era. Crafted from baguette- and rose-cut diamonds, multicoloured enamel, platinum, silver and brass, it features a geometric striped pattern on the body and a design of dragons and repeating scrolls at each end.
With its exquisite red-ground enamelling, intended to imitate Chinese lacquer, it typifies the fine craftsmanship and innovative design that are synonymous with Cartier today.
A Song dynasty scroll
In March 2017, a remarkable selection of Chinese works of art from the Fujita Museum in Osaka, Japan, came to Christie’s in New York. Among the treasures were important Shang and Zhou dynasty ritual bronzes, Buddhist stone sculptures, scholars’ objects and classical paintings, including this elaborately painted Six Dragons handscroll by Chen Rong, a 13th-century government official who was renowned for his paintings of dragons. 6park.com
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Chen Rong (13th century), Six Dragons, as catalogued in Shiqu Baoji (detail). Handscroll, ink on paper. Painting: 13½ x 173⅜ in (34.3 x 440.4 cm). Sold for $48,967,500 on 15 March 2017 at Christie’s in New York 6park.com
The handscroll in question was once owned by the Qianlong emperor (1711-1799), who assembled what was probably the biggest collection of Chinese paintings and other works of art ever known, as well as objects from the rest of the world. It was graded as a painting of the highest quality and importance in the second series of the Catalogue of Painting and Calligraphy in the Qianlong Imperial Collection (also known as Shiqu Baoji).
Thanks to its exceptional provenance and excellent condition, the scroll achieved the top price of the record-breaking auction, selling for $48,967,5000 — more than 40 times the low estimate.
A Rolex perpetual chronometer, ref. 6099, with cloisonné enamel dragon
Rolex watches embellished with a cloisonné enamel dial are among the rarest and most coveted timepieces on the secondary market. This example, probably dating from 1952, features the fabled dragon design conceived for Rolex by Stern Frères in collaboration with the enamel artist Nelly Richard.
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A gold wristwatch with cloisonné enamel dial depicting a dragon by Nelly Richard, perpetual chronometer, ref. 6099, Rolex, circa 1952. Sold for CHF125,000 on 13 November 2017 at Christie’s in Geneva 6park.com
Richard worked for Stern Frères from the late 1940s to the 1950s. She executed famous cloisonné enamel dials featuring Neptune, dragons and maps, commissioned not only by Rolex but also by Omega, Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin and others.
The production of these solid-gold dials was extremely costly, since they had to be individually made by a skilled craftsman and not on a production line. This ref. 6099, which was consigned by a descendant of the original owner, achieved CHF125,000 when it was offered for sale in 2017 at Christie’s in Geneva.
A Yuan dynasty ‘dragon’-handled cup
Dating from the Yuan dynasty (1279-1368), this very rare gold cup is an object of extraordinary allure — much of which may be attributed to its artfully crafted handle, cast in the form of a gleaming dragon’s head. It was sold at Christie’s in New York in 2019, achieving a price of just over $2.5 million. 6park.com
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A gold ‘dragon’-handled cup, Yuan dynasty (1279-1368). 4⅜ in (11.2 cm) wide. Sold for $2,535,000 on 12 September 2019 at Christie’s in New York 6park.com
Consisting of a shallow bowl with rounded sides on a flared foot, the cup is exquisitely made. It is chased with a narrow band of foliate scrollwork around the rim, and three peony blossoms on leafy stems within — an intricate scheme of decoration which, along with the elaborate handle, indicates that it was an object of high status.
The loose ring hanging from the dragon’s jaws gives a hint as to how it might have been used. Such a ring would have made the cup easily portable, allowing it to hang from a belt, which has led some to conclude that it may have come from a nomadic people.
A jade dragon-form pendant
Chinese jade comes in many colours, forms and sizes. Today, small ornamental jade objects are particularly prized by collectors for their finesse and exquisitely carved details. This dragon-form pendant from the late Warring States period, circa 300-221 B.C., is a fine example of the high technical skill of ancient Chinese lapidary artists.
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A carved jade dragon-form pendant, late Warring States period, circa 300-221 B.C. 3⅝ in (9.1 cm) long. Sold for HK$15,250,000 on 3 December 2021 at Christie’s in Hong Kong 6park.com
The double-S-shaped body of the dragon imbues it with a sense of movement and vivacity. The finely incised pattern on the body, meanwhile — comprising ruyi scrolls, triangles and other shapes — showcases the artist’s ingenuity and attention to detail. 6park.com