Page 95 - Bonhams May 16, 2019 London Asian Art

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A BLUE AND WHITE ‘KING WEN AND JIANG
TAIGONG’ BALUSTER VASE
Kangxi
Exquisitely painted around the exterior in vivid
shades of cobalt blue, depicting King Wen
accompanied by guards and attendants holding
banners and standards arriving at a lakeside terrace
framed by rocks and trees, presenting offerings and
greeted by the bearded sage Jiang Ziya, all beneath
a band of pendent ruyi-heads and C-scrolls. 43.5cm
(17 1/8in) high.

£20,000 - 30,000
CNY180,000 - 260,000

清康熙 青花文王訪賢圖瓶

Provenance: a distinguished English institutional
collection

來源：英國顯赫機構收藏

The vase depicts a story set in the 12th/11th
century BC, in which King Wen of Zhou sought
the advice of the hermit scholar Jiang Ziya, later
known as Taigongwang. According to traditional
Chinese historiography, the last king of the Shang
dynasty was corrupt and cruel. Jiang Ziya had
once served him, but was disillusioned and retired
to spend the rest of his days fishing, waiting to
serve a new and moral king. It is said that he used
no hook at all, believing that the fish would come
to him on their own, echoing King Wen. King
Wen of Zhou wished to overthrow the Shang, and
so sought talented scholars versed in the arts
of war and administration. When King Wen met
Jiang Ziya, he discovered that this white-haired
fisherman was actually an astute political thinker
and military strategist. He thus appointed Jiang
Ziya to be his prime minister and gave him the title
of ‘Taigongwang’ (Hope of the Duke of Zhou). With
Jiang Taigong’s help, the Shang was overthrown
and the Zhou dynasty was firmly established. Such
legends from history, of scholars waiting to serve
new more morally upright regimes, would have
resonated with the literati class during the turbulent
period of the late Ming to early Qing dynasties.

See also a sleeve vase decorated with a similar
scene in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, inv.no.
AK-NM-6669.

For details of the charges payable in addition to the final Hammer Price of each Lot
please refer to paragraphs 7 & 8 of the Notice to Bidders at the back of the catalogue.