Page 221 - Christie's, NYC Important Chinese Works Of Art Sept. 22-23, 2022

The distinctive form of this exceptional vase is known as ganlanping, or 342-3, no. 157; the monochrome white vase illustrated by R. Krahl, Chinese
olive-shaped vase, and was inspired by early bronze prototypes, such as the Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, vol. 4 (II), London, 2010, pp. 316-7,
middle Western Zhou-dynasty ritual wine container and cover, hu, in the no. 1779; and the blue-glazed vase sold at Christie’s New York, 24 March
Metropolitan Museum of Art, acc. no. 2003.66.11a, b. Like the present vase, 2011, lot 1157. Although rare, ganlanping vases of this type with flared mouth
the bronze hu features small cylindrical handles flanking the neck and a pair and foot can have tubular handles, such as the Qianlong vase decorated with
of pierced slots above the splayed foot. green dragons on a yellow ground illustrated in Miscellaneous Enamelled
Porcelains, Plain Tricoloured Porcelains – The Complete Collection of Treasures
The vase reflects the keen antiquarian interests of the Yongzheng Emperor of the Palace Museum, Hong Kong, 2009, pp. 130-31, no. 105, which also, like
who collected and studied material from earlier dynasties. His extensive the current vase, has pierced slots above the splayed foot.
interest in ancient artworks is reflected in two scroll paintings entitled
Guwan tu, "Pictures of Ancient Playthings," which act as inventories, The more robust ganlanpingform of the present vase, with its straight
depicting antiques in the Imperial collection during his reign. One such scroll neck, appears to be significantly more rare than the type with flared mouth
is in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, and the other and flared foot. A Yongzheng celadon-glazed ganlanping vase of the same
in the Percival David Collection is now housed in the British Museum. Both size as the current vase, and with tubular handles and pierced slots above
handscrolls are illustrated in China: The Three Emperors, 1662-1795, Royal the foot, but lacking gilt decoration, was sold at Bonhams Hong Kong, 3
Academy of Arts, London, 2005, pp. 252-55, nos. 168 and 169. December 2015, lot 22, and a Yongzheng vase of this shape with tubular
handles and pierced slots above the foot, but decorated in famille rose
The ganlanping form was admired in all three of the great imperial reigns enamels on a coral-red ground, and of smaller size (31.4 cm.), in the Palace
of the Qing dynasty - Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong, and appears in two Museum, Beijing, is illustrated in Selected Porcelain of the Flourishing
types: the first has a waisted neck and flared mouth and slight flare to the Qing Dynasty at the Palace Museum, op. cit., p. 181, no. 25. See, also, the
foot, and the second has a straight neck and little to no flare to the foot, as Yongzheng ganlanpingvase (16.9 cm.) of similar proportions to the current
represented by the current vase. During the Kangxi period the shape was vase, but lacking the handles and pierced slots, and decorated in falangcai
generally more attenuated. Two vases which exemplify the Kangxi shape, enamels, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Qingdai Yuyao ciqi,
each incised with decoration under a pale blue glaze, are illustrated by J. vol. 1, op. cit, pp. 158-59, no. 68.
Ayers, The Baur Collection, vol. 3, Geneva, 1972, no. A 326, which has a
straight neck and no flare to the foot, and no. A 328, which has a tall slender The rare addition of the gilt-decorated bands of floral scroll around the
neck rising to a slightly everted mouth rim. The ganlanping shape seen mouth rim and foot rim beautifully complement the shape of the vase and
in the Yongzheng and Qianlong periods is somewhat more robust than were painted with great skill. The carefully chosen flowers incorporated into
its Kangxi predecessor. For Yongzheng examples of the first type, with a the floral scroll each conveyed a particular wish to those who saw the vase
flared neck and flared foot, see the blue and white example in the Palace – the hibiscus for wealth and glory; the lotus for harmony, beauty and purity;
Collection, Beijing, illustrated in Qingdai Yuyao ciqi, vol. 1, Beijing 2005, pp. and the peony for wealth and honor. The fact that these flowers are shown
80-1, no. 29; another in the Palace Museum, Beijing, decorated in green on a borne on a meandering vine is also significant. One of the Chinese words for
yellow ground, illustrated by Feng and Geng (eds.), Selected Porcelain of the ‘vine’ is man, which is a pun for wan, meaning ‘ten thousand’. The ruyi heads
Flourishing Qing Dynasty at the Palace Museum, Hong Kong, 1994, p. 197, no. below the band of floral scroll at the mouth rim provides an additional wish
43; two monochrome-glazed examples, also in the collection of the Palace for longevity. The ruyi shape is based on a stylized form of the lingzhi fungus,
Museum, are also illustrated in Qingdai Yuyao ciqi, vol. 1, a copper-red-glazed which was believed to be able to prolong life, ward off evil and ensure the
vase, pp. 38-9, no. 9, and one covered with an imitation Guan glaze, pp. vigor of its possessor.

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