Page 120 - Bonhams, Roger Keverne Moving on Part 1 May 11, 2021 London

190
A RARE AND LARGE BLUE AND WHITE BEAKER VASE, GU
Wanli six-character mark and of the period
Boldly painted to the bulbous mid section with bowls and baskets
containing fruit and flower sprays, the tapering lower body with
butterflies and insects amongst flowering plants issuing from pierced
rockwork, above a border of scattered blossom and wood-grain
pattern, the neck with bands of formal leaf lappets and a variegated
floral meander, within moulded bands, the rim with the horizontal six-
character reign mark on a foliate scroll band.
57.5cm (22 5/8in) high.
£30,000 - 40,000
CNY270,000 - 360,000
Please note this Lot is to be sold at No Reserve. 本拍品不設底價

明萬曆 青花花卉紋大觚
青花「大明萬曆年製」楷書橫款

Published, Illustrated and Exhibited: Roger Keverne Ltd., Summer
Exhibition, London, 2013, no.33

展覽著錄：Roger Keverne Ltd.，《夏季展覽》，倫敦，2013年，
編號33

Gu vases enjoyed a great popularity during the reign of the Wanli
emperor, and were produced in different variations of size and
decoration. Large vases such as the present example, however, are
quite rare. In addition to its exceptionally large size, the present vase is
notable for the flowing and naturalistic brushstrokes and the balanced
interplay between elegance and archaic stateliness.

A similar blue and white gu vase, of slightly larger size, Wanli mark
and period, is illustrated in Enlightening Elegance: Imperial Porcelain
of the Mid to Late Qing Period, The Huanghuaitang Collection, Hong
Kong, 2012, pp.388-391. A related wucai gu vase, Wanli, decorated
with dragons and peonies, is illustrated in The Complete Collection of
Treasures of the Palace Museum, Wucai Doucai, Shanghai, 199, p.37,
no.34. Another wucai example now in the Matsuoka Art Museum,
Japan, is illustrated in Mayuyama, Seventy Years, vol.1, Japan, 1976,
pl.916.

For details of the charges payable in addition to the final Hammer Price of each Lot
118 | BONHAMS please refer to paragraphs 7 & 8 of the Notice to Bidders at the back of the catalogue.