Page 106 - Mounted Oriental Porcelain, The Getty Museum

19- L I D D E D POT

THE PORCELAIN: Chinese (Kangxi), from Dehua, circa 1670-1700
THE GILT-BRONZE MOUNTS: French (Paris), circa 1765-70
J
HEIGHT: 9% in. (25.1 cm); WIDTH: j% in. (18.7 cm); DEPTH: 6 / 4 in. (15.9 cm)
78.01.359

DESCRIPTION
The hexagonal molded globular body is composed
of six shaped panels molded in low relief with the fol-
lowing scenes: the philosopher Li Bai with his wine jar;
Confucius in discussion with Laozi (the reputed founder
of Daoism); a Tea Master with a boy who fans the fire to
boil water for tea; a scholar with a boy attendant who
holds the chin, a stringed instrument; a boy pointing to
the sun implying a wish that his master will achieve high
rank; and Confucius on his own.
The pot is clasped at each side by a gilt-bronze
handle formed of foliate scrolls. The two handles are
joined by a threaded rod extending the full width of the
interior of the pot, brazed to one handle and attached to
the other by means of a screw. The hexagonal foot of the
vase is held by a deep gilt-bronze mount around which
are repeating ovals enclosing cabochons. This in turn is
clasped by six scrolled and foliate feet at the angles. The
hexagonal neck of the pot is mounted with a collar of
repeating ovaloes and clasped at four of the corners by a FIG. 19A.
cluster of leaves; the two remaining corners are mounted
with short sprays of leaves springing from the handles
(fig. I9A). The porcelain lid, which fits into the collar been removed, thus converting it from a utensil into a
mount, is surmounted by a gilt-bronze finial of pyrami- purely decorative object (fig. 196).
dal form that supports a cluster of berries held by scroll- The porcelain lid is discolored and has a heavy
ing acanthus leaves. cracklelure; the corners are chipped. Complete blanc-
de-chine teapots of this type are known. Unmounted
MARKS specimens are to be found in the British Museum, Lon-
1
The porcelain lid is impressed with an illegible seal don (fig. 190), at Hampton Court, England (once in the
2
mark now covered by the gilt-bronze finial. collection of Queen Mary, 1689-94), and at Blenheim
Palace, England. Another is referred to in the inventory
COMMENTARY of white tea wares belonging to Augustus the Strong of
The porcelain pot was originally a lidded teapot. Saxony (1670-1733). The inventory was begun in 1721,
3
The form is identical to contemporary metalwork ves- and the pot is the first entry in this section. A complete
sels. The spout, the tall arched handle, and the finial, wine pot, with an early-eighteenth-century gilt-bronze
probably in the form of a seated Buddhist lion, have addition to the spout and the lid attached to the handle

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