Page 104 - Sotheby's Chinese Art and Porcelain Auction New York September 12, 2018

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A RARE BLUE AND WHITE ‘ROSETTE’ This moon ß ask belongs to a group of Ming chu qinghua ci [Early Ming blue-and-white
MOONFLASK vessels which both in shape and decoration porcelain in the Palace Museum], vol. 1, Beijing,
represented a new departure for Chinese 2002, pl. 85; another in the Shanghai Museum,
MING DYNASTY, YONGLE PERIOD
porcelain and which derived their inspiration in Wang Qingzheng, Underglaze Blue and Red,
elegantly potted with a ß attened spherical from abroad. The geometric star-shaped Hong Kong, 1993, pl. 52; both are attributed to
body rising to a waisted neck and a pear- medallion which is centered on a yin-yang the Xuande reign. Another similar ß ask from
shaped upper bulb, set with two strap handles symbol, consists of curved bands and pointed the Ardabil Shrine is in the National Museum of
accentuated by a central raised ridge and tips vaguely reminiscent of leaves and buds Iran, Teheran, published in Oriental Ceramics:
a leaf-shaped terminal, the domed circular and the surrounding border also consists of The World’s Great Collections, vol. 4, Tokyo,
front and back deftly painted in tones of deep petal elements. Their rigid, formal arrangement, New York, and San Francisco, 1980-82, col.
cobalt with a formal rosette centered by a yin- however, discourages any evocation of pl. 58. For a similar ß ask of Xuande mark and
yang medallion within a ring of petal lappets, representational forms and draws upon Middle period from the Sir Percival David Collection
surrounded by a radiating eight-pointed Eastern design. Only the yin-yang emblem, in the British Museum, London, see Stacey
starburst of alternating foliate and ß oral motifs, narrow ß ower-scroll band on the bulb and small Pierson, Blue and White for China. Porcelain
all within a formal ‘half-cash’ diaper border ß oral sprays at the handles seem to derive Treasures in the Percival David Collection,
around the edge, the upper bulb picked out with from the traditional Chinese design repertoire. London, 2004, pl. 19.
a narrow band of aster and carnation between The delicate combination of minute asters and A similar ß ask from the collection of Major
double lines repeated at the base of the neck carnations in this band is particularly attractive Lindsay Hay was sold in our London rooms,
and rim, the handles outlined with double Þ llets and e$ ectively balances the strict geometry of 25th June 1946, lot 62; another sold in our
and decorated with a spray of peony at the the overall design. Hong Kong rooms, 18th May 1982, lot 148, was
lower end, above two blue lines running along Flasks of this type, which are also known with included in the exhibition Chinese Porcelain.
the ß at sides, covered overall with a glossy a slightly di$ erent rosette design, come in two The S.C. Ko Tianminlou Collection, Hong Kong
glaze of Þ ne, smooth texture, pooling at the di$ erent shapes, with and without a Xuande Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1987, cat. no. 14.
recesses to a slight blue-tinged tone, the oval reign mark, possibly distinguishing Yongle
foot ring left unglazed (r.1403-24) and Xuande (r.1426-35) versions. For ß asks of this design with a more elongated
Height 10⅜ in., 26.3 cm While both versions were probably made in neck, compare an unmarked example
excavated from the waste heaps of the Ming
both periods, the present type may represent
PROVENANCE imperial kilns at Jingdezhen included in the
the slightly later Yongle version, its pleasing,
North Carolina Private Collection (by repute). harmonious proportions reß ect a recalibration exhibition Jingdezhen chutu Ming chu guanyao
ciqi / Imperial Hongwu and Yongle Porcelain
of the original shape, which is slightly taller and
$ 80,000-120,000 Excavated at Jingdezhen, Chang Foundation,
has a more elongated bulb. The taller shape is
Taipei, 1996, cat. no. 65; or one in the Topkapi
usually unmarked, whereas the present form,
Saray Museum, Istanbul, in Regina Krahl,
with its more pronounced pear-shaped bulb,
Chinese Ceramics in the Topkapi Saray
typically bears a Xuande reign mark.
Museum, Istanbul, ed. John Ayers, London,
A similar ß ask from the Qing Court Collection 1986, vol. II, no. 616; and a ß ask of Xuande mark
in the Palace Museum, Beijing, is illustrated in and period in the Palace Museum, Beijing, in
Geng Baochang, ed., Gugong Bowuyuan cang Geng Baochang, op. cit., pl. 84.
㖶㯠㦪ġġġ曺剙廒剙䲳䵔ⷞ俛吓單㇩
䒞
Ը๕
⊿⌉伭Ἦ䲵ⶆ䥩Ṣ㓞啷炷⁛炸

END OF SESSION ONE

102 SOTHEBY’S IMPORTANT CHINESE ART