Rarity of Asian Art: The Highlights of the Auction

Cambi Auction House renews its appointment with Fine Asian Works of Art, the sale dedicated to the art of the Asian continent, to be held on Tuesday, 14 July 2026, at its Milan headquarters on Via San Marco 22. The auction will be conducted in two sessions, at 9:30 a.m. (Lots 1–252) and 2:30 p.m. (Lots 253–532), and will feature more than 500 carefully selected works from important private collections.

The sale invites collectors and enthusiasts on a fascinating journey through the great artistic traditions of Asia, showcasing works from China, Japan, India, and Southeast Asia. The catalogue brings together a refined selection of ceramics, ritual bronzes, sculptures, paintings, furniture, and decorative objects that reflect centuries of history, spirituality, and extraordinary craftsmanship.

Dario Mottola, Head of Department, introduces some of the auction’s most significant highlights:

“In the 14 July auction, we will present several objects and pieces of furniture of great importance.

We begin with a Coromandel screen. Coromandel is a region in southern India from which these screens were shipped to Europe. The technique employed is carved lacquer, and the subjects depicted are almost always very similar: court scenes or naturalistic compositions.

These screens were created for the Imperial Court and for Europe’s most important noble families. We are presenting a magnificent example, in excellent condition, composed of eight panels.”

“We will also present an altar table, a ceremonial table in finely carved red lacquer. This is an exceptionally rare piece of furniture. Although it dates back to the mid-19th century, it reflects a much older imperial aesthetic. This type of craftsmanship in fact dates back to the 15th century, if not to even earlier periods. The decoration features geometric motifs and dragons extending along the entire frieze of the piece.”

We will also present three silk embroidered panels with cartouches depicting landscapes. Dating to approximately the mid-18th century, they reflect the refined taste of the Imperial Court. Each panel bears inscriptions relating to the scene represented, including poetic verses and celebratory texts.

Also featured in this sale is a truly remarkable object, destined to become a highly coveted collector’s piece. It is a cup bearing the mark of the Chenghua Emperor.

The Chenghua Emperor lived during the first half of the 15th century and, during his reign, the production of these objects was extremely limited. Today, only around forty examples are known worldwide. They are preserved in major museum institutions, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Palace Museum in Taiwan, the Percival David Foundation, and the British Museum. No examples are currently recorded in the Palace Museum in Beijing.

For this reason, every new discovery represents an exceptional event. It is somewhat like uncovering a drawing by Leonardo or a work by Michelangelo: an object of this calibre should ideally have a well-documented provenance. In this case, the history of the piece is unfortunately quite recent, and this represents its only limitation. Nevertheless, we believe it may be authentic and could belong to this extremely rare group of known examples.”

Hava Martinez, Junior Specialist in Oriental Art, shares the story behind one of the auction’s most valuable lots:

“Today, we are extremely proud to present this extraordinary 24-karat gold sculpture of Shiva Nataraja.

The sculpture depicts Shiva in his iconic cosmic dance, gracefully standing upon a finely crafted pedestal. The elegance of the movement of his arms and the refined details of his crown are magnificently enhanced by the brilliance of pure gold, highlighting both the exceptional craftsmanship of the work and the splendour of the period in which it was created.

As the Lord of Dance, Shiva embodies the perfect balance between creation and destruction, expressing the eternal rhythm of the universe in complete harmony. Dating to the late 18th century, this sculpture represents an extraordinary example of Indian artistic metallurgy from the period.

Although numerous representations of Shiva Nataraja in bronze are known, an example crafted in solid 24-karat gold is an absolute rarity. Without a doubt, this is a museum-quality work, reflecting both the profound spiritual significance of Shiva and the extraordinary material splendour of the era in which it was created.”