Page 71 - Mounted Oriental Porcelain, The Getty Museum

I I . PAIR O F L I D D E D J A R S

THE PORCELAIN: Chinese (Kangxi), 1662-1722
THE GILT-BRONZE MOUNTS: French (Paris), circa 1745-49
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HEIGHT: i ft., /2 in. (31.8 cm); WIDTH: i ft., A in. (31.2 cm); DIAMETER: 8 A in. (21.6 cm)
72.DI.4I.I-.2,

DESCRIPTION
Each circular lidded jar consists of a body of bul-
bous shape; a composite domed lid with a flat top; and
gilt-bronze handles, base, and finial.
Each has been slightly cut down at the shoulder
luting. Each is decorated with underglaze blue and iron
red and gilt on a white ground, with phoenixes flying
amongst scrolling and flowering tree peonies.
The lip of the bowl is encircled by a gilt-bronze rim
chased with an egg-and-leaf molding. On each side a
scrolled and divided handle, of seaweed form, is attached
by pinned hinges to the lip and foot mounts (fig. IIB).
They clasp the lower part of the base. The foot of the jar
is mounted with a plain molding that rests in an elabo- FIG. IIA
rately scrolled and foliated base with four pierced feet.
The lid is in two sections, the lower of which has
been cut from the shoulders of the original jar. There is COMMENTARY
a molded flange of gilt bronze encircling the lower edge. This type of decoration is known as Chinese Imari.
The upper part is the original flat top of the cylindrical The Chinese, realizing that Japan was enjoying great
lid. It is surrounded by a molding similar to that which success with its exported porcelain (typically and pro-
appears around the rim of the lower stage. The whole is fusely decorated with underglaze blue and overglaze red
surmounted by a complex gilt-bronze finial of shells, and gold), decided to imitate their popular wares.
rockwork, coral, and fish eggs. This is fitted with a The mounts are not of the highest quality. Mounts
threaded rod that passes through a gilded plate in the in the form of seaweed are infrequently found, but a pair
interior and is held in position by a nut of gilt bronze. of lidded Sevres bowls sold in Paris in 1978 bore han-
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dles similar to those that appear on these vases. These
MARKS lidded bowls reappeared on the market in ijSy. 2 In 1990
The mounts are struck with the crowned C in eight an identically mounted pair of black Kangxi lidded jars
places on each jar: on the finial, on each of the two rims was in the hands of a Paris dealer.
of the lid, on the interior plate, on the lip of the jar, on A pair of lidded jars of Kangxi porcelain of the
each handle, and on the foot. The same mounts, with the same size and shape and with all the mounts of the same
exception of the foot, of the other jar are also stamped. model was sold in Paris in 1988. 3

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