Page 43 - Mounted Oriental Porcelain, The Getty Museum

3. PAIR OF L I D D E D J A R S

THE PORCELAIN: Chinese (Kangxi), 1662-1722
THE GILT-BRONZE MOUNTS: French (Paris), circa 1710-15
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HEIGHT: i ft., 3% in. (40 cm); WIDTH: ii /* in. (29.2 cm); DIAMETER: n in. (27.9 cm)
72.DI.50.I-.2

DESCRIPTION
Each jar is circular and tapering with rounded
shoulders and a cylindrical lid. Each is enameled with
vertical panels that extend the full height of the jar, with
magpies, bees, butterflies, and dragonflies amongst scat-
tered branches of lotus, gardenia, tree peony, pink mag-
nolia, roses, prunus, chrysanthemum, and bamboo.
These are enameled with green, coral, red, yellow, and
aubergine, outlined in black.
The rim of each jar is encircled by a gadrooned
molding of gilt bronze. This is linked to the foot mount at
each side by vertical bands of pierced and scrolled strap-
work surmounted by a shell and with a female mask at
the center. This mount is attached at top and bottom by
pinned hinges, with a drop handle depending from the
shell (fig. 3A). The foot of the vase rests in a deep gilt-
bronze molding gadrooned along the upper part.
The lid is encircled around its lower edge by a
flanged molding. The original flat-topped cylindrical lid
of porcelain is incorporated into the new lid. This is
enameled with loose flowering branches between under-
glaze blue line borders. The lid has been mounted top
and bottom with moldings of gilt bronze, the lower one
being gadrooned. It is surmounted by a finial in the
form of a cluster of berries in a foliate cup resting on a
gadrooned base. This is attached by a long threaded pin
that engages with an interior circular plate of gilt bronze
chased with circles and fleurons against a matted
ground (fig. 36).

MARKS None.
FIG. 3A

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