Page 56 - Decorative Arts, Part II: Far Eastern Ceramics and Paintings, Persian and Indian Rugs and Carpets

1972.43-7 (C-562)
Vase in the Shape of an Archaic
Bronze Zun

Ming dynasty, Wanli mark and period (1573-1620)
n
Porcelain with enamels on the biscuit, 24.5 (9 /i6)
Harry G. Steele Collection, Gift of Grace C. Steele
INSCRIPTIONS
Inscribed in standard script on the base in underglaze decorated with isolated floral sprays. Two bands just
blue in two columns of three characters each: Da Ming Wanli above the foot bear a stylized leafy scroll and a variation
nian zhi [made in the Wanli reign of the great Ming dynasty] on the C-scroll motif seen above.
In 1956 two similar vases were discovered in the tomb
TECHNICAL NOTES of the Wanli emperor, north of Beijing. Located between
2
The vase has two damaged areas along the lip, which have been the coffin of the emperor and his empress, the vases con-
filled and painted. The ten iron staples around the foot may
have been inserted shortly after manufacture to secure the crack tained traces of decomposed vegetable matter, suggesting
3
that appeared after firing. that they held flowers at the time of burial. Other similar
examples are in the Harvard University Art Museums and
PROVENANCE the Yamato Bunkakan, Nara, Japan. 4
George Eumorfopoulos [1863-1939], London. (Parish-Watson SL
Gallery, New York); sold to Harry G. Steele [1881-1941],
Pasadena; his widow, Grace C. Steele.
NOTES
ADE IN THE SHAPE OF an ancient bronze zun beaker, 1 1. For a late Shang-dynasty (c. twelfth-eleventh century B.C.)
Mthis vase was thrown in three sections that were prototype, see Pope et al. 1967, i: 84-89.
luted together. The flanges on the trumpet-shaped neck,
2. Dingling 1959, 367; also Dingling 1958, 20.
the protruding waist, and the flaring base were borrowed
3. Fontein and Wu 1973, 207.
directly from the zun prototype. The walls are relatively
thick, and the vase is correspondingly heavy. The foot- 4. For the Harvard vessel, see Fontein and Wu 1973, 207; also
ring is roughly beveled; the base is slightly recessed and Valenstein 1970, pi. 57. For the Yamato Bunkakan example, see
Sekai
glazed. A grayish porcelain paste is revealed at the foot- lished toji zenshu 1975-1985,14:204. Yet another example is pub-
in Hobson
1923, pis. 23, 24.
ring. The six-character mark of Wanli is inscribed within
a double circle.
The designs are outlined with dark aubergine and REFERENCES
shaded with paler aubergine enamels. The decoration is 1925-1928 Hobson: 4: color pi. 23, no. 0115.
applied in yellow and aubergine enamels directly on the
high-fired porcelain body, or biscuit. The interior is dec-
orated just below the lip with a band of eight flowers
enclosed by thin lines. The exterior is divided into sever-
al horizontal bands from top to bottom. Thick lines
delineate the neck, around which are pictured rocks,
flowering plants, butterflies, dragonflies, and smaller
insects. The top of the waist has a band of isolated C-
scrolls. The main section depicts two scenes of a scholar-
official on horseback, accompanied by three servants. On
one side this group moves toward a garden enclosure; on foot-ring and reignmark
the other they move toward an ox. The sloping foot is on base of 1972.43.7

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