Page 26 - In His Majesty's Palm Excuisite Playthings April 5 17 HK Sothebys
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A TEA CUP FOR
LADY WAN
REGINA KRAHL
This adorable cup is one of the characteristic creations of the imperial patronage towards the end of the reign, either
Chenghua (1465-87) imperial kilns during their most fruitful directly from the Emperor or from his favourite concubine
period of production. The last years of the Chenghua reign, Wan Guifei (1430-87). Wan Guifei was officially made huang
in the late 1470s and 1480s, were not only the kilns’ busiest guifei, principle concubine, in 1476 and from then on became
period, but saw also the development of the finest and most notorious for using her power and influence to help her family
distinctive wares – those we generally associate with this reign to important positions and for squandering enormous sums on
name. entertainments and luxuries. Rather than producing practical
porcelains for general use at court or for ritual, the imperial
Representative of these years are small vessels for the table, kilns concentrated in this period on manufacturing little gems
such as cups, stem cups, bowls and dishes, as well as small to please and delight their demanding patrons.
jars. In designing these wares, the potters embarked on a
new stylistic direction, breaking with the taste of the Xuande This charming cup, with its small size, precise potting, softly
period (1426-35) that was still very much alive in the early curved profile, subdued painting, wonderfully tactile surface,
part of the Chenghua reign. While the porcelains made at the and square reign mark embodies all the qualities that make
beginning of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) were still under the Chenghua porcelains so desirable. Although several small
influence of foreign styles, those of the late Chenghua period, cups of related shape were produced in the Chenghua reign,
such as this cup, are quintessentially Chinese in concept. This the present low, rounded form is particularly pleasant and
period saw the introduction of unconventional, unassuming harmonious in its proportions, and its shallow domed centre
blue-and-white designs, such as the present flower pattern, inside, known as mantouxin after Chinese steamed (mantou)
which embody the charm and peculiar identity of Chenghua buns, which is echoed outside by a recessed, concave base,
porcelain. The designs are new and new is the modest, simple makes it particularly endearing.
way in which they are distributed over the vessel surface.
The six gardenia flowers, artlessly styled and distributed
The porcelains of that late phase were intended for personal around the sides, all with a central bloom surrounded by
enjoyment, for individual use in an intimate setting, and differently arranged leaves, represent a motif otherwise very
cannot be fully appreciated unless they are picked up and rarely used on Chinese porcelain; even rarer is the multi-
turned around in the hand. They require a connoisseur’s petalled flower inside the cup, perhaps a hydrangea, encircled
eye and touch to be enjoyed in all their beauty. Although by a ring of leaves, which does not seem to be otherwise
the precise reason for this momentous change of style and known from Ming blue-and-white. The Chenghua reign mark
direction that took place at the imperial kilns at Jingdezhen enclosed in a double rectangle that is inscribed on the base
late in the Chenghua period is not yet fully understood, these was introduced only in the latter part of the period and is thus
manufactories appear to have received unprecedented found on some of the finest Chenghua pieces.
24 SOTHEBY’S 蘇富比
