Page 117 - Decorative Arts, Part II: Far Eastern Ceramics and Paintings, Persian and Indian Rugs and Carpets

1942.9-499-500 (C-352-353)
Petal-decorated Vases

Qing dynasty, Kangxi mark and period (1662-1722)
Porcelain with celadon glaze,
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1942.9.499: 21.4 x 8.6 (87i6 x 3 /s)
3
3
1942.9.500: 21.3 x 8.5 (8 /s x 3 /s)
Widener Collection

INSCRIPTIONS
Inscribed in standard script on the base of both vases in underglaze the National Gallery collection, both of the celadon vases
blue in three vertical lines of two characters each: Da Qing Kangxi have thirty petals in their decorative bands, while the five
nian zhi [made in the Kangxi reign of the great Qing dynasty] peachbloom vases have from twenty-nine to thirty-one.
Occasionally there are variations in the width and height
TECHNICAL NOTES of the flower petals, or in the proportion of the vessel
1942.9.499: The pale green glaze, applied to the interior of the itself, but the National Gallery's two celadon vases do not
neck as well as to the exterior of this vessel, thins to an almost diverge significantly in these areas. Although measure-
pure white at the outer edge of the mouth of the gently everted
neck. The glaze also thickens and thins in the carved petals ments indicate otherwise, the molded petals on 1942.9.500
encircling the lower portion of this vase, causing a correspond- appear bigger than those on 1942.9.499. This optical illu-
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ing darkening and lightening of the design. The vase has a dark- sion is caused by the petals being more rounded (though
er hue just under the molded petal band, where the body not wider) than those on the other vase.
contracts before a slight rounding of the foot occurs. The glaze The petals in the decorative bands of these vases,
ends in a neat line just above the narrow, unglazed foot-ring. whether peachbloom, colorless, or celadon-glazed, have
The mark is a vivid blue under a colorless glaze. The foot is generally been identified as either chrysanthemum or
quite shallow. There is a small dark spot on the interior of the lotus. Among those who have argued for the lotus is
neck. 1942.9.500: Like 1942.9.499, there is considerable variation Ralph Chait, who disputes any resemblance to chrysan-
in the intensity of the pale green glaze. There is a pinhole in the themums and likens the petals to those seen on the lotus
glaze in the exterior of the neck and a tiny extrusion at the bot- thrones of Buddhist deities; others share this view,
tom of one petal. The glaze does not end in as neat a line above
the foot-ring as in 1942.9.499, and the foot-ring is slightly including Josephine Knapp. Lotus petals were certainly
rougher. The foot is very shallow, and the reignmark is a strong an important decorative motif in earlier Chinese ceram- 4
blue under the colorless glaze on the base. ics, particularly of the sixth and seventh centuries.
However, other scholars believe these petals clearly
PROVENANCE resemble those of the chrysanthemum and label these as
1942.9.499: J. Pierpont Morgan [1837-1913], New York; (Duveen chrysanthemum vases. 5 In the absence of Qing textual
Brothers, New York and London); sold 1915 to Peter A. B. evidence, some experts avoid any specific identification, 6
Widener, Lynnewood Hall, Elkins Park, Pennsylvania; inheri- and that is the preference of this author.
tance from Estate of Peter A. B. Widener by gift through power Chinese authors sometimes describe these vases on
of appointment of Joseph E. Widener, Elkins Park, the basis of their shape as being of laifu (turnip or
Pennsylvania. 1942.9.500: Thomas B. Clarke [1848-1931], New 7
York; sold to Peter A. B. Widener, Lynnewood Hall, Elkins Park, radish) form. For example, in a 1981 catalogue of ceram-
Pennsylvania; inheritance from Estate of Peter A. B. Widener by ics in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, a petal-deco-
gift through power of appointment of Joseph E. Widener, rated peachbloom vase was called a laifu ping; in a 1986
Elkins Park, Pennsylvania. catalogue from the same institution it, or a similar piece,
was called a juban (chrysanthemum petal) ping. 8
EXHIBITED Petal vases appear to be more sturdy than the other
1942.9.499: On display, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, "prescribed" shapes because they tend to be more heavi-
c. 1910-19H. 1 ly potted and larger. Their low-slung, rock-steady pos-
ture particularly contrasts with the high-footed, rather
O NE OF THE "PRESCRIBED" PEACHBLOOM types, of which petal vases appear even more refined and exquisite white
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unstable "amphora" vase form.
The
celadon
and
than
many examples survive, the popular
petal-decorated
vase was also manufactured with celadon and colorless their less subdued peachbloom counterparts. The petals
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glazes. Although there is a basic similarity among all these show more clearly under a uniform glaze than under the
pieces, some minor variations occur. Of the examples in typically mottled peachbloom glaze.
VB
P O R C E L A I N S 101