Page 40 - Lieber Collection Chinese Art

THE

FONTHILL

SOLDIER

VASES

ᩫᆞᅲ㫼ㆶᒖ䡓യჹ䇡ృ๔㧸⨣̭ᄺ

This outstanding pair of vases, formerly in the collection of Alfred ₑᄺ㧸⨣கಸႼⷖ喑⛿㸪㞞䝲㍮㸴喑ᒝ䶜⨤ࡍ䕍
Morrison at Fonthill House, is an exquisite example of ‘soldier’
㾐喑ᆙΫ䮳ᬖ᱌ह䶋க͚㇫Ҡ͸҉ȡₑ䶋⨣็◧
vases produced during the early Qianlong period (r. 1736-95). The
monumental size of ‘soldier’ vases required great technical skill ᜽ᄺᝃ̭㉱ఈУ喑఍⛿᜽̺ᭀ喑ᩲ᜽᱙倅ᬯȡ᱙
during the potting, firing, and enameling. Consequently, vases of ৮ₐᆙڣ͚㜨Ҹ喑கᒏ℁Ҹᖝ⪣喑㈸丫ѵᅭহ
this type, which were normally made in pairs or in quadruples, 䀔喑᫪ㆶᒖ喑ᒖ㞟㞤叄喑⪘ጒ㇫ໆ喑㎗㍮㟞䡓
were very difficult and costly to produce. The present vases
䰋喑ᄀᘼ䡓യჹ䇡喑䑁В䡓㈸㟞丫喑㍮ᒖທⰛ喑
represent the highest quality of the type. Decorated in the highly
developed famille-rose palette with a rare design of pheasants among ჹ叄യ⮴喑㿍◧⣺৮ȡ
branches of auspicious flowers between equally extravagant bands,
ₑᄺ๔⨣ຏ㤜᫝⽻喑ࣺ᭍࡮ژ̓㈭ፚᢟ⁽≟͸͚
their superiority is evidenced in the masterful enameling that is
embellished with generous use of gilding on the peony blooms, and స䷕⛞⒛ȡ͚స⨤ࡍ㲺࡜͚㺬喑ጔໆߍڒ⁽ᐼጡ
in their perfectly proportioned form and design. ≈ٸࣷ≈जज㬊㶀䷕ᵩ喑䓻व⁽≟ϧᄖ㒻ᗲ䋐ȡ
The luxurious and exotic style of these vases captures the height 㺸⨣䏘็㮂᣼䛾喑㈸丫ѵᅭݨᘼ䔪Ⅿ̺ᄺ⽞Ƞ㗖
of the popularity of chinoiserie that was sweeping through Europe 䵥䡓ౝࣷࢤ㥶ぶ㈸丫喑⮳ڤ㺬᫦㬊㶀䷕ᵩ喑㔹㗖
th
in the 18 century. In response to the current European taste,
䵥㮂䪸ٶڔ᝭㎗श⺒㟞ࡶࣷ㟞划ͨ䵹ݴᬻ䶜◧͚
elements of the Baroque and Rococo aesthetic infiltrated the
Chinese craftsman’s repertoire. Traditional Chinese motifs were సٰ㉍ȡ
synthesized with Western styles, as indicated by the elaborate
ₑ䶋๔⨣̭㝙В删ܝ㟞ࡶ◧ͨ䵹喑ຯ᱙৮㎗䡓
lambrequin borders on the neck and shoulder, which combine
richly-patterned grounds, leafy tendrils, and C-scrolls with shaped 䰋㔲⩇◧㒂㺸ȡ♣㻭᱙৮᝭㎗䡓䰋喑ᅫ䘕䅽␬ԛ
panels containing various auspicious Chinese motifs. This fanciful 䪤喑僛䆁⾍叄喑ࢨࣵ㜴删ܝ͸⦋ᒖ᪾᫂ᰶ㦄⪝ᰟ
Europeanized Chinese design is also seen in the extensive gilding हጒ͸ໆȡ
and asymmetrical composition.
ह䶋๔⨣喑ႅ̓ज㺸䱿㟞Ƞ⹙㈲ᒖ᣼䛾Ƞз㥙䛹
While ‘soldier’ vases were frequently enameled with phoenixes
and flowers, it is particularly unusual to find examples depicting ࣷㆶᒖ৮䶋喑๔็㺸᫩㺬᫦ᩣ㫼喑ᩲ็㷘㾺◧
pheasants. The craftsman has cleverly captured the exoticism of ᆙใ䟤⨤ヱ⪴喑♣㔹㺸ᰶ㎗ϧ➖㔲喑䰃ႅ̓Ⱕ
phoenixes by rendering the pheasants with vibrant, long-flowing
ᄺ⼭㒂喑ѳज㺸ह᭯᱌ₑ䶋⨣ϓ◧͚స᱙ౌጯൡ
feathers.
⛿㸪ȡⰥ䬉҉Ҹज㺸̭ᄺ๔⨣喑㎗㺬⢸⃺ᚣส
‘Soldier’ vase examples exist in blue and white, iron-red and gilt,
ృ喑ਜ਼՘᪓㬴ჹ℁1969Ꭱ11ᰵ4ᬒ喑㌕㮌182喑ᒹ
Imari, and famille-rose palettes. Most of these are now found in the
West and it is generally assumed that they were made for the export ںਜ਼᫩㈽㈱㬴ჹ℁2011Ꭱ3ᰵ29ᬒ喑㌕㮌2喠ओ㺸
market, however a rare subset of ‘soldier’ vases bearing figural ̭ᄺ喑҈ጋḂ ▅⻮ϧᩣ㫼喑ਜ਼㈽㈱㬴ჹ℁2011
motifs might suggest the presence of a concurrent domestic market Ꭱ3ᰵ29ᬒ喑㌕㮌2ȡں㺸̭Ҹ喑हܧ㜗ᩫᆞᅲᩣ
for these vessels. Among this group are a pair of vases illustrating
㫼喑㎗ЂຠϚझࢇᐵ喑ਜ਼᫩՘᪓Ҡธᓄ1971Ꭱ10
Xiwangmu (Queen Mother of the West) riding on a phoenix and
ᰵ18ᬒ喑㌕㮌30喑ᒹᭀ᝸᫩ጡ叻㬴ჹ℁2001Ꭱ6
greeted by elegant ladies and auspicious animals, sold in our London
ᰵ27ᬒ喑㌕㮌316ȡ
38 SOTHEBY’S