Page 91 - Ming Porcelain Sothebys march 2018

uande reign-marked water droppers are extremely rare, and no other
܁ᅃ੭ಛ˥ဈ฽ՉޜӼdͦۃ֠͊Ԉ˼ԷdϾ example appears to have been published. However, the depiction of
ࠬࣸ޴ڐ٫dۆϞԷ̙రf̙ਞϽɓ܁ᅃზᘟd X the well-cast ferocious facial expression, ! nely combed-e" ect of the
ུᎲ७dࠬࣸၾ͉ۜ޴߰dՍ೥۾ଛdᕥˣʱ whorls of its mane and its powerful horns can be compared to the dragons on
׼dᎲԉ࡝ۊdʬο܁ᅃಛd፽׵؇˙ௗନኪ a Xuande bronze censer, also with a reign mark and of the period, included in
ึd˖ِയޜ‘d࠰ಥɽኪඹ̻ʆ௹ي᎜d࠰
the Oriental Ceramic Society of Hong Kong exhibition Arts from the Scholar’s
ಥd1986ϋdᇜ໮139f
Studio, Fung Ping Shan Museum, Hong Kong, 1986, cat. no. 139.
͉ۜᘅ᜝ிۨdߠ঑߉̈d̚ंӧ್d฽బੵ
ɢdޫ᙮׼ڋतᅄd̙ˢ̏ԯ׼௒ۃग़༸ͩ྅d The rigid spine, prominent archaistic features and the almost deliberate
Չʕɓᘅ᜝ͩ྅۶࿒ၾ͉ۜ޴ڐdତπ׵̏ԯ dramatic quality of the present piece are characteristic of early Ming sculpture
׼௒dྡ༱׵ Ann PaludandThe Chinese and recall the stone sculpture lining the spirit road of the Ming Tombs near
Spirit Road‘dॲල˖d1991ϋdྡو220f Beijing, such as a qilin, depicted in a similar pose on a ceremonial archway, in
situ at the Valley of the Ming Tombs, Beijing, illustrated in Ann Paludan, The
ˢ༰ɓ๿ᖕ˥ဈԷdᓙ˾׼dۃࠑ̈ஈdᇜ໮
Chinese Spirit Road, New Haven, 1991, pl. 220.
208f̤ɓԷਯ׵ࡐ౱Գɻ੻1984ϋ6˜20
Ї21˚dᇜ໮353fΎˢɓ࠰ᘟԷdႡЪࣛಂ
For a water dropper in the form of a mythical animal attributed to the Ming
೹ૉdிۨၾ͉ۜ޴ڐdዹԉdਯࡐ౱Գɻ੻
period, see one included op cit., cat. no. 208; and another sold at Christie’s
1983ϋ12˜14Ї16˚dᇜ໮326f̤ˢɓԷd१
London, 20th-21st June 1984, lot 353. Compare also slightly later incense
ͭிۨdਯ׵ࡐ౱Գɻ੻1993ϋ6˜8˚dᇜ໮
140f burners of similar qilin form, but with one horn on its head; such as one cast in
a similar kneeling position sold at Christie’s London, 14th-16th December 1983,
lot 326; and a standing version sold at Christie’s London, 8th June 1993, lot
140.