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A BLUE AND WHITE DOUBLE-GOURD ‘EIGHT 明萬曆 青花群仙獻壽圖大葫蘆瓶
DAOIST IMMORTALS’ VASE
MARK AND PERIOD OF WANLI 《大明萬曆年製》款
the mouth with a six-character mark in underglaze blue
within a rectangular cartouche, wood stand, Japanese wood
box (4)
Height 18¾ in., 47.7 cm
The present vase is impressive for its large size, robust
potting and dynamic painting. To the lower bulb, the Eight
Daoist Immortals are vividly painted. Dressed in billowing
robes and separated by cloud scrolls, the immortals are
shown carrying auspicious objects or vessels and depicted
in motion as if parading after one another. The upper section
shows a seated Shoulao under a pine tree, accompanied
by Liuhai with his three-legged toad and other attendants.
Imbued with auspicious Daoist imagery, the vase is a well-
wishing gift for long life and success. The double-gourd shape
of the present lot is also symbolic: it represents longevity
and is associated with the Daoist Immortal Li Tieguai who is
depicted holding a double-gourd containing a magic potion
to the lower section.
Extremely rare, the present vase has a six-character mark to
the mouth rim. See a closely related example, of the same
form and motif, but with Xiwangmu (Queen Mother of the
West) depicted to the upper section and without a mark,
in the National Palace Museum, Taipei (accession no. 故瓷
008087N000000000).
The combination of the Eight Immortals motif and the
double-gourd form finds its inspiration in blue and white
vases that were popular during the reign of Wanli’s
grandfather, the Jiajing Emperor, who was a devote Daoist.
For Jiajing marked examples of a slightly larger size, see one,
previously in the collection of J. Piermont Morgan, illustrated
in Catalogue of The Morgan Collections of Chinese Porcelains,
New York, 1907, no. 243 and sold in our Hong Kong rooms,
7th October 2006, lot 918; another, in the British Museum,
London, illustrated in Jessica Harrison-Hall, Ming Ceramics in
the British Museum, London, 2001, pl. 9:36.
⊖ $ 70,000-90,000

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