Page 112 - Decorative Arts, Part II: Far Eastern Ceramics and Paintings, Persian and Indian Rugs and Carpets

unusually dark. Such differences are not surprising, as the The marks on all four pale blue water pots in the
two were most likely not originally intended to be a National Gallery collection feature the six characters
matched pair; usually only one water pot would have rather closely centered on the base. The mark on
been used at a time by a scholar when writing. Many 1942.9.490, however, has more space between the charac-
Chinese vessels not originally envisioned as pairs, howev- ters in the top and lower rows, and less space between the
er, were apparently so presented to Western collectors by rows. Subtle variations in reignmarks are not uncom-
dealers in Chinese antiquities in the late nineteenth and mon and may be the result of different calligraphers
early twentieth centuries, undoubtedly because of the tra- working at different times at the kiln. 9
ditional Western taste for such groups. Perhaps the most distinctive feature of 1942.9.490 is its
Although 1942.9.490 and 1942.9.491 were also acquired glaze with uneven swirls of lighter and darker blues,
jointly, the disparity between these two water pots is rather different from the more consistent blue of the
more noticeable than for 1942.9.481 and 482, starting National Gallery's other water pots.
with the arrangement of characters in the reignmark. VB

foot-ring and reignmark foot-ring and reignmark foot-ring and reignmark foot-ring and reignmark
on base of 1942.9.481 on base of 1942.9.482 on base of 1942.9.490 on base of 1942.9.491

preceding pages: Qing Dynasty, Kangxi mark and period (1662-1722), Water Pots,
back row (left to right): 1942.9.481-482, front row (left to right): 1942.9.490-491

96 D E C O R A T I V E A R T S