Page 32 - CHRISTIE'S Marchant Nine Decades of Chinese Art 09/14/17

MARCHANT: NINE DECADES IN CHINESE ART

(another view)

705 A CARVED LONGQUAN of fowers and other plants appear to be particularly popular
CELADON EWER on vessels of this form, refecting a great appreciation for
the natural world. Four related ewers, each with different
EARLY MING DYNASTY, LATE 14TH-EARLY 15TH CENTURY carved decoration of fowers, plantain, prunus and peaches
respectively, are illustrated in Green-Longquan Celadon of the
The pear-shaped body tapers to a narrow neck below the Ming Dynasty, Taipei, 2009, pp. 122-29, nos. 60-63.
everted rim and is applied with a curving spout supported by
a cloud-form strut opposite the strap-form handle. The body Further examples of ewers include the one illustrated in
is carved with a peony scroll below a band with leafy scroll Celadons from Longquan Kilns, Taipei, 1998, p. 266, no.
on the shoulder and upright petals on the neck. The ewer is 251, and another example of similar form, but carved with
covered overall with a rich sea-green glaze, and the tip of the peonies, in the Idemitsu Museum of Arts and illustrated
spout is mounted in silver. in The Ceramics of the Yuan-Ming Dynasties, Tokyo, 1977,
12º in. (31.1 cm.) high no. 25. Two further gilt-silver-mounted ewers with carved
designs are illustrated by R. Krahl and J. Ayers, Chinese
$80,000-100,000 Ceramics in the Topkapi Saray Museum Istanbul, Vol. 1, Yuan
and Ming Dynasty Celadon Wares, London, 1986, nos. 225
PROVENANCE and 226.

The O’Connor Family Collection, Wales, by 1975. 明初十四/十五世紀 龍泉青釉纏枝牡丹紋
執壺
The form of the present ewer is derived from Persian
metalwork, but the proportions refect a more Chinese sense
of harmony: the heavier pear-shape of the body echoes the
curves of the elegant handle and spout, while the fared rim
provides a complementary terminal to the overall shape.

The peony scroll decoration can be compared to that on
contemporary Ming blue and white wares. Indeed, motifs

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