Page 28 - Nov 29 2017 HK Important Chinese Ceramics

THE UNIVERSE IN A VASE —

AN EXQUISITE AND RARE UNDERGLAZE BLUE AND RED
YONGZHENG VASE
Rosemary Scott, Senior International Academic Consultant Asian Art

The form of this vase is particularly elegant, and its specific the V&A and Metropolitan Museum vases are painted in a similar
proportions and details are rare amongst Yongzheng imperial style to those on the current vase.
porcelains. The shape derives from one that was popular among
imperial wares of the Kangxi reign – particularly those belonging The fine-line – sometimes known as ‘pencilled’ – style, in which
to the small group of peachbloom-glazed vessels, known as the ba the underglaze red waves on the current vase are painted, originated
da ma ( 八大碼 eight great numbers), which the English scholar in the Kangxi reign when it was applied to both copper red and
John Ayers believes may have been made specifically for the Kangxi cobalt blue underglaze decoration (see Wang Qingzheng (ed.),
Emperor to bestow as gifts on favoured members of the court (see Kangxi Porcelain Wares from the Shanghai Museum Collection, Shanghai
John Ayers, ‘The ‘Peachbloom’ Wares of the Kangxi period (1662- and Hong Kong, 1998, p. 109, no. 72, and p. 61, no. 41, respectively).
1722)’, Transactions of the Oriental Ceramic Society, vol. 64, 1999- The style was also adopted by Yongzheng ceramic decorators, but
relatively rarely. This is understandable in the case of vessels painted
2000, pp. 31-50). The close association with the imperial family is
borne out by a similarly shaped peachbloom vase in the collection in underglaze copper red, for the difficulty in controlling the copper
made its use problematic. When successfully-fired, as on the current
of the Walters Art Museum, Baltimore (accession number 49.155), vase, however, this fine-line decoration could be extremely effective,
which is reputed to have been owned by the first Prince Yi (1686- especially in the portrayal of movement without heaviness.
1730), thirteenth son of the Kangxi Emperor. John Ayers’ extensive
research has led him to the conclusion that such peachbloom vessels In some cases this style of painting was used to create a naturalistic
were made in the latter part of the Kangxi reign, which would depiction of waves, while in others it is very formal. In contrast
explain the transfer of the form into the Yongzheng period. to the current vase, a much more mannered, even regimented,
depiction of underglaze copper red waves can be seen on a
It is interesting to note, however, that the proportions of the vase Yongzheng meiping in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing
were subtly altered in the Yongzheng reign. While it retains the (illustrated in Blue and White Porcelain with Underglaze Red (III), The
three fine raised rings around the base of the neck, which has led Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum 36, Hong
to the Kangxi peachbloom shape sometimes being called san xian Kong, 2010, p. 187, no. 171). While successfully fired, the waves on
ping ( 三線瓶 three-string vase), the Yongzheng vase has a neck this vase, which provide a background for one large and one small
and mouth which are somewhat wider and in more harmonious carved dragon, reserved in white, are very uniform and appear more
proportion to the body of the vessel. The body of the Yongzheng like a background pattern than naturalistic waves. The difficulty of
vase also has less square shoulders than the Kangxi form, while the firing such precise undulating wave designs in underglaze copper
mouth is more everted, giving it a softer and more graceful profile. red can be seen on a lidded vase in the collection of the National
This shape is listed as a laifuping 萊菔瓶 – radish [shaped] vase – by Palace Museum Taipei, which is also decorated with carved dragons
Geng Baochang 耿寶昌 in his discussion of Yongzheng shapes in reserved in white against a background of underglaze red waves
Ming and Qing Porcelain on Inspection 明清瓷器鑑定 , Beijing, 1993, (illustrated in Harmony and Integrity – The Yongzheng Emperor and His
p, 234, fig. 400, no. 11, whereas Geng describes the Kangxi version Times, Taipei, 2000, p. 175, no. II-8) in similar style to those on the
of this form as a laifuzun 萊菔尊 radish [shaped] wine vessel in the Beijing meiping. The copper red on the Taipei vase has both spread
same volume p. 193, fig. 344 left, and fig. 387 top left. A Yongzheng within the glaze and, in some areas, broken through the glaze. The
vase of this form, but decorated entirely in underglaze copper red result is that the fine lines of the waves are significantly obscured
with a design of dragons in clouds above waves, formerly in the and the overall impression is much heavier than was the ceramic
collection of Sir Harry and Lady Garner, is now in the Victoria artist’s intention. Interestingly, this vase was nevertheless preserved
and Albert Museum (illustrated by Rose Kerr (ed.), The T.T. Tsui in the imperial collection of the Qing court, despite its flaws – a
Gallery of Chinese Art – Chinese Art and Design, London, 1991, p. clear indication that the difficulties of this type of decoration were
193). A similar Yongzheng copper red decorated vase is also in the recognised. The preservation of a vase with imperfect copper red
collection of the Metropolitan Museum, New York (illustrated in S. wave design also underlines the additional esteem in which a well-
G. Valenstein, Handbook of Chinese Ceramics, New York, 1975, colour defined underglaze copper red wave design, such as that on the
plate 36). Interestingly, the waves which encircle the lower part of current vase, would have been held at the imperial court.

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