Page 42 - 2020 Nov 30 Christies Hong Kong Springfield Museum Imperial Art

George Walter Vincent Smith acquired this piece, together with ܂ࡘᦆԱ⁥ᑞ ໝྐྵ♈☼۵⮛ࠉ) " -BOUIJFS㈂Նᕴͬۢሠި
lot 2902, in 1910 from H.A. Lanthier, a dealer specialising in ⴽǐ
rare oil paintings, curiosities and works of art based in Madison
Square, New York. ̖㡲ຠᄀ۵ᐋᥒ䢲ᐅ̖㡲ˏᕧἔࣰ૨ͱ⾴ࠉݙ㤍㘌ࣰྋד䢲ྐྵᕴ⁄
ࣰ̃ྋۢૣ㲋♃ˮۿ⿉ˏᐽ䣁⡊⁄㉚˖Ⰸ‶ۢㅿ⡩ם᳦₤ᕧᑕԬ
A majority of the jades made during the Qianlong reign were ♘䢲☉ܐ۵͎㧰ᙂ䢲᳦↪᪹ἔࣰ̃ˏ૯ṁ⨓ǐǙㅿǚ⧀Ǚ⁄ǚⅲ♼
in imitation of archaic ritual bronzes of the Shang, Zhou and ܐ䢲ᕖǙ૱ໜᕖㅿǚ̃⟞ଦഄჍǐ㏩Κϡಠۿ۞⡃㪁᫓ωૈྴሠ㇫
Han dynasties, as the Qianlong Emperor had a deep interest ˏͬ㷌ἔ⯯⁄䢲ܔូחㅿ⡩ۢͱ۵♃㨫䢲೛ໝ̖㡲䢲 ໝ ᕕ
in Chinese antiquities. Some of these jade examples were ᑽ䢲ሠި ⴽǐ
more faithfully copied, whilst others were slightly modified to
suit prevailing taste of the Qing court. The petals and elephant
heads on the present vase, for example, are more likely Qing
adaptations to provide auspicious meanings to the vase. For
instance, the combination of an elephant and a vase conveys the
rebus taiping youxiang, ‘Peaceful times’ or ‘When there is peace,
there are signs’. Compare a yellow jade vase and cover carved
with archaistic scrolls and similar elephant-head handles, also
dating to the Qianlong period, sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 30
May 2012, lot 3956.

The current vase on exhibit at the George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum, circa 1896 to 1910
ᕴሠި☼ᑞ ⦰ ໝ㡣〴ᑞ܂ࡘᦆⳔ⻒ښḵ㩉ൢᠹˮ

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