A FINE AND LARGE IMPERIAL HU-SHAPED PORCELAIN VASE

Estimated Value:

200.000 € - 300.000 €

Schätzpreis:

460.000 €

Description:

China, seal mark and period of Qianlong
H. 48,5 cm
The robust ovoid body supported on a splayed foot, sweeping up to a waisted neck and everted rim, set with two taotie-mask handles suspending mock rings, brightly painted in deep shades of cobalt accented by contrived 'heaping and piling' with a wide band of scrolling lotus, the large blooms borne in an alternating double register with the upper row each supporting one of the beribboned bajixiang, the neck encircled by a band of quatrefoil crenulated motifs divided by flower sprigs and further wrapped with a lotus scroll, the base skirted with petal panels, all between a band of tumultuous waves encircling the rim and foot, the base inscribed in underglaze blue with a six-character seal mark.
Collection Dr. Rainer Kreissl (1924 - 2005), according to tradition a personal gift from Mao Tse Tung to the Czech President Antonín Zapotocký (1884 - 1954) - Important southern German private collection, collected before 1990
This vase impresses with its size, fine moulding and finely executed decoration. It represents one of the most beautiful porcelain designs, influenced by Ming ceramic patterns but adapted to the contemporary taste of the Qianlong period. The decoration is also remarkable for the brilliance of the cobalt blue, which reflects the high resources and technical excellence of the potters who worked in the imperial kilns in Jingdezhen under the direction of China's most famous superintendent, Tang Ying. It is known that the Qianlong Emperor commissioned artists who made pottery for the court to produce sophisticated and eye-catching pieces, often placing more emphasis on the ostentatious aspects of production and virtuosity of craftsmanship. Under his tutelage, the refinement of materials and advances in craftsmanship enabled potters to expand their repertoire. The production of large vessels and the composition of a complex design required much thought and skill to create a harmonious overall product such as the present piece. This required considerable expertise and the potter has drawn extensively on archaic styles and forms, creating a piece that is both steeped in tradition and innovative. The reference to the archaic bronze Hu vessel is a direct response to the Qianlong Emperor, who was a great connoisseur and collector of archaic bronzes, jades and works of art. He was also an avid follower of Tibetan Buddhism, so references to symbols such as the bajixiang may have been among his favourite motifs. Each symbol - the wheel of the law, the conch, the victory standard, the parasol, the lotus, the vase, the twin fish and the endless knot - was carefully depicted over a lotus flower with Shou characters in the centre, creating a highly auspicious and visually appealing vessel.
A similar vase is illustrated in 'Chinese Porcelain - The S.C. Ko Tianminlou Collection, Hong Kong, 1987, on pl. 58, where Julian Thompson describes the design as "the culmination of the long transformation of the early 15th century style", with all the decorative bands, except for the quatrefoils on the shoulder, coming from 15th century designs. Another vase of this type, in the Aurora Art Museum, Taipei, is published in 'Appreciation of Blue and White Porcelains', Taipei, 2008, fig. 52; it is a vase thought to have come from the royal collections at Windsor Castle and was presented by Queen Mary to Sir Ralph Harwood, K.C.B., K.C.V.O., at one time financial secretary to King George V and Controller of the Royal Household, was sold at Sotheby's London, 7.6.1994, lot 358; and a third vase was in the Anthology of Chinese Art exhibition of the Min Chiu Society, Hong Kong, 1985 (cat. no. 185) - Beautifully preserved

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