Page 62 - Decorative Arts, Part II: Far Eastern Ceramics and Paintings, Persian and Indian Rugs and Carpets

1942.9-526 (C-379)
Vase

Qing dynasty, early eighteenth century
Porcelain with oxblood glaze, 43.3 x 19.7 (i/Vie x /Vie)
Widener Collection

TECHNICAL NOTES
The white porcelain, revealed on the foot below the glaze, has aqua glaze of the lip just below the edge. The copper red
the fine smooth texture of the period. Throwing rings can be streaks in relatively uniform fashion as the glaze runs
felt on the glazed interior. Numerous small bubbles and a ran- toward the base, collecting more thickly at the change of
dom crackle of ¥2 to i cm are clearly visible in the transparent contour from neck to shoulder and near the base, where
depths of the glaze. In the transparent, pale aqua glaze of the it stops in a heavy dark roll. Inside this vessel, the glaze is
base there is a fine mesh crackle, which is continuous from one of unusual appearance, having a light, creamy coffee
glaze tint into the other. The unglazed foot has a squared bear-
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ing surface, within which the base is recessed about /4 cm. color that is perfectly even.
JK
PROVENANCE
M. J. Perry, 1 Providence, Rhode Island. J. Pierpont Morgan NOTES
[1837-1913], New York. (Duveen Brothers, New York); sold to 1. Edith Standen's notes on the Widener collection (in
Peter A. B. Widener, Lynnewood Hall, Elkins Park, NGA curatorial files). Probably Marsden J. Perry, Providence,
Pennsylvania; inheritance from Estate of Peter A. B. Widener by Rhode Island, as he was a collector of Chinese porcelains, six of
gift through power of appointment of Joseph E. Widener, which are currently in the National Gallery collection.
Elkins Park, Pennsylvania.
2. The object was added to the galleries showing the
J. Pierpont Morgan collection of Chinese porcelain.
EXHIBITED
On display, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, I9io-i9ii. 2 3. Sir Leigh Ashton, former director of the Victoria and Albert
Museum, London, called it "very fine," as recorded by Erwin O.
O NE OF THE SIMPLEST SHAPES close to perfection. The Christensen in is a 1963 verbal comment files). Entered in of the
curatorial
1945 (in
NGA
the
oxblood
group,
in
Chow
the
records
same
by
Fong
is technically
this specimen
contour has sleek, narrow elegance and pleasing propor- Metropolitan Museum of Art singling out this piece as especial-
ly fine.
tions, with sides only slightly curved from shoulder to
broad base and a short, relatively wide neck with mini-
mum flare at the lip. 3 REFERENCES
The color of the exterior glossy glaze is a particularly 1904-1911 Morgan: 2: 7, no. 1302, pi. 3.
rich red, which suffuses unevenly into the transparent 1947 Christensen: 34, 37 repro.; 1956: 34, 37, fig. 18.

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