Page 21 - Bonhams UK Marsh Collection Art for the Literati November 2, 2022

Lot 3 (detail) a rare blue and white documentary ‘Kui Xing’ vessel, Dated to the Jiawu year, corresponding to 1654 and of the period

Lot 3, a rare documentary blue and white ‘Kui Xing’ vessel, dated to
the Jiawu year (1654) and of the period, depicts Kui Xing holding a
brush and fighting with his literary movements, while the other side
is written in a typical variant of official script. The three lines of small
characters are arranged vertically, forming a panoramic effect with
the Kui Xing picture. The viewer can enjoy it from multiple sides and
experience the classic literati aesthetic of poetry, calligraphy, painting,
and seals.

The inscription reads: ‘Written on a Spring day in the Jiawu year
(1654) before flowers and undoing fur’. The phrase ‘undoing fur’
in front of flowers shows that the literati pursued a romantic and
unrestrained lifestyle. It is a reference from the Biography of Ruan Fu
in the Book of Jin: ‘when he was in charge of Huangmen, he often
exchanged his gold and fur for wine, for which he was impeached,
but the emperor pardoned him.’ Later the phrase, ‘Gold and fur for Lot 13, an exceptionally rare blue and white ‘384 Shou’
brushpot, Kangxi six-character mark and of the period
wine’ came to be a metaphor for unfettered drinking and pleasure.
The literati spirit of individuality and enjoyment is thus revealed.

In the Kangxi period, the use of characters to decorate an entire Conclusion
vessel, was developed. Among them, is Lot 13, an exceptionally rare
blue and white ‘384 Shou’ brushpot, Kangxi six-character mark and In the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, the influence of Chinese
of the period, decorated with the character for ‘longevity’ in various literati painting on Jingdezhen porcelain painting was direct and clear,
form of seal script around the exterior. It is elegant and refined, and and the various school’s styles and techniques had a strong and
the Kangxi six-character mark is extremely noble and rare. very prominent influence on porcelain painting. The various forms of
literati art (calligraphy, poetry, painting, and seal carving) all appeared
for the first time on porcelain from Jingdezhen, becoming one of the
basic forms for later porcelain decoration. In the late Ming and early
Qing dynasties, the elegance of the literati and the porcelain art were
deeply integrated for the first time, leading to greater individuality,
which opened the path later for literati porcelain in Jingdezhen in the
18th century. Therefore, a comparison between literati paintings and
porcelain from Jingdezhen is key for us to explore the splendour of
Jingdezhen porcelain art in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties!

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