Page 214 - Sotheby's October 3 2017 Chinese Art

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PROPERTY OF A GENTLEMAN 明初 龍泉青釉玉壺春瓶

A LONGQUAN CELADON VASE,
YUHUCHUNPING
EARLY MING DYNASTY

superbly potted with a pear-shaped body rising
from a slightly splayed foot, elegantly sweeping
up to a tall waisted neck and an everted rim,
covered overall in an even glossy and unctuous
celadon glaze of sage-green tone, the glaze
stopping neatly above the foot save for the
unglazed footring fired to bright orange, the
interior of the base glazed
31.5 cm, 12⅜ in.

Notable for its rich celadon glaze which
accentuates the elegant proportions of its
shape, the present vase displays characteristics
of Longquan celadon wares of the early Ming
dynasty, particularly the Yongle period. During
this period the Longquan kilns appear to
have worked closely with the imperial kilns at
Jingdezhen, thus making wares of similar form,
decoration and quality, perhaps under imperial
instruction.

A closely related vase is illustrated in Chinese
Ceramics in the Idemitsu Collection, Tokyo, 1987,
pl. 587; another, exhibited in Chugoku seiji ten
[Exhibition of Chinese celadon wares], Nihon Toji
Kyokai (Japan Ceramics Association), Tokyo,
1950, cat. no. 79, was sold in these rooms, 26th
October 2003, lot 49; and a third example from
the Cleveland Museum of Art, sold at Christie’s
New York, 21th September 2001, lot 293 and
again in these rooms, 8th October 2013, lot 219.

Compare the more slender proportions and
slightly opaque glaze of vases of this type of the
Yuan dynasty, such as one illustrated in Zhu
Boqian, Celadons from Longquan Kilns, Taipei,
1998, pl. 160, which reveals the refinement
achieved by the Ming potters.

HK$ 1,500,000-2,500,000
US$ 192,000-320,000

212 SOTHEBY’S 蘇富比