A limestone oil lamp
北齊 石灰岩油燈
The lamp is of characteristic form with a tall tapered eight-fluted central column supporting a thick-walled hemispherical bowl for the oil reservoir, and resting on cushion-shaped torus and square plinth. The stone is of fine light grey colour.
Provenance:
The Collection of Cheng Huan, S.C., acquired in the 1980s
China Guardian Hong Kong, 30th May 2017, lot 979
Exhibited:
Priestley & Ferraro, 'Chinese and Korean Ceramics and Works of Art', November 2018, cat. no. 20
For a pair of stone oil lamps of this form, see Cixian Wanzhang Mural Tomb of the Northern Dynasties Period, plate 2. The Cixian lamps retain considerable orange pigment to the fluted columns.
Dimensions: Height: 41.5 cm, 16 ⅜ inches
Date: Northern Qi dynasty (550-577)
Stock No. 2211
Price: On Request