Page 70 - Bonhams May 12 16 London

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A MING-STYLE BLUE AND WHITE LANTERN-SHAPED JAR
Qianlong
Painted in vibrant blue with flowers, leafy sprigs, stylised waves and
lotus enclosed within an Islamic-style geometric honeycomb pattern,
between bands of floral scrolls, the short straight foot with a band of
demi-florettes and the wide neck with a border of stylised breaking
waves, Japanese box.
23.5cm (9 1/4in) high (2).

£15,000 - 20,000 CNY140,000 - 180,000
HK$160,000 - 220,000

清乾隆 仿明青花花卉錦紋壯罐

In Chinese, this jar was commonly known as a zhuangguan (狀罐),
literally translated as ‘robust jar’. It is recorded that in 1748, ‘Emperor
Qianlong made a command to Tang Ying that ‘robust jars’ be made
in accordance with those made during the Ming dynasty, without seal
mark...After firing, they were transported to Beijing on the fourteenth
day of the fifth month of the fourteenth year of the reign of Emperor
Qianlong.’ It is possible that the present lot was part of the Qianlong
Emperor’s order. See Treasures in the Royalty: The Official Kiln
Porcelain of the Chinese Qing Dynasty, Shanghai, 2003, p.323, for
another similar jar with its cover dated to the Qianlong period, in the
Nanjing Museum.

A similar jar is illustrated by Y.Peilan, Appraising Ancient Chinese
Ceramics, Taipei, 1994, pp.122-123, where early Ming examples of
this form and design, attributed to the Xuande period, are compared
with 18th century examples. The original Xuande period prototypes
were inspired by Islamic geometric patterns, highlighting the significant
cross-cultural links between China and the Middle East at that time.

Another jar included in the Shanghai Museum, is illustrated by Lu
Minghua, Qingdai Yongzheng Xuantong guanyao ciqi, Shanghai, 2014.
See also Sun Yingzhou de taoci Shijie, Beijing, 2005, pp.240-241.

A similar jar was sold at Christie’s London, 8 November 2011, lot 389.

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