Page 116 - Bonhams, Fine Chinese Art, London November 3, 2022

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A RARE LARGE BLUE AND WHITE ‘HUNDRED’ DEER JAR The Chinese word for deer (lu 鹿), is a homophone for the word
Wanli for emolument or an official salary (lu 祿), thus deer are symbolic of
Sturdily potted with tapering sides rising to gently curving shoulders the rank and wealth. In the troubled times of the late Ming dynasty
surmounted by a short waisted neck, painted around the body with a however, emperors were particularly keen for evidence of Heaven’s
continuous scene of numerous deer amidst a rocky landscape dotted blessing on their rule. Hu Zongxian (1512-1565) for example,
with trees and wispy clouds, all between a floral and butterfly border at submitted a memorial to the Jiajing emperor on the sighting of a rare
the mouth rim and lappets at the foot. white deer - a good omen for the superstitious Jiajing emperor - for
55cm (21 1/2in) high. which Hu was richly rewarded. Jars such as the present lot, decorated
with deer, were particularly favoured at Court during the second half of
£40,000 - 60,000 the 16th century and early 17th century.
CNY310,000 - 470,000
Compare with a pair of blue and white jars and covers of very similar
design, but without the lappet band at the foot, in the Museum of
明萬曆 青花百鹿紋大罐 Far Eastern Antiquities, Stockholm, illustrated in Oriental Ceramics,
vol.8, pl.247, and by D.Lion-Goldschmidt, Ming Ceramics, New York,
1978, p.187, no.183; this pair of jars was given to Queen Christina of
Sweden by the Portuguese Embassy in 1640. A smaller very similarly
decorated jar is illustrated in Sekai Toji Zenshu, Tokyo, 1976, vol.14,
p.307, fig.218.

See a blue and white ‘Hundred’ deer vase, Wanli, which was sold
at Sotheby’s London, 9 June 2015, lot 114; and see also a related
smaller wucai ‘Hundred’ deer vase, Wanli mark and period (34cm
high), which was sold at Sotheby’s New York, 14 March 2017, lot 12.

Ostasiastika Museum, Stockholm
Comp

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