Page 34 - Important Chinese Art Sothebys March 2019

exquisitely painted in vivid colored enamels, of the reign, between 1713 and 1722, when the nanjing museum illustrated in Qing Imperial
this pair of jardinières represents the pinnacle the emperor passed away, as the same style Porcelain, art Gallery, the Chinese University of
of doucai porcelain in the Kangxi period, of writing is also found on early Yongzheng hong Kong, hong Kong, 1995, pl. 15.
when porcelain production at the Imperial porcelains. he further proposes that porcelains a jardinière of hexagonal form and related
kilns in Jingdezhen reached a mature phase. with this mark and painted with longevity design in the palace museum, Beijing, is
the exceptional skill of craftsmen is seen in subjects, such as these jardinières, were made illustrated in The Complete Collection of
their fine potting and meticulous painting, in 1722 in anticipation of the emperor’s 70th Treasures of the Palace Museum, Porcelains
particularly in the rendering of craggy rocks and birthday the following year. Imperial birthday in Polychrome and Contrasting Colours, hong
gnarled tree trunks. soft and vibrant enamels celebrations occasioned a massive display Kong, 1999, pl. 192. other hexagonal examples
are applied harmoniously, and a sense of of wealth and power, and jardinières of this include: a pair sold in our London rooms, 10th
movement in each scene is cleverly achieved type would have been filled with appropriate July 1979, lot 175; one supported on bracket
through billowing clouds and flowing water. plants and placed on view for guests to admire. feet from the Winston Guest Collection, sold
the fine brushwork suggests the scenes were paintings illustrating the Kangxi emperor’s in these rooms, 2nd December 1967, lot 92;
borrowed from woodblock-printed pattern 60th birthday celebration and the Qianlong another in the national palace museum,
books and painting manuals, as observed by emperor’s 70th birthday celebration were taipei, also on bracket feet, included in the
James Watt in Possessing the Past: Treasures included in the exhibition China: The Three exhibition Possessing the Past, op. cit., pl.
from the National Palace Museum, national Emperors, 1662-1795, royal academy of arts, 289; and a jardinière, also with male Daoist
palace museum, taipei, and the metropolitan London, 2005, cat. nos 24 and 25. Immortals and a shaped rim, but resting on
museum of art, taipei and new York, 1996, p. Jardinières belonging to this group share a ruyi feet, sold at sotheby’s hong Kong, 31st
506.
number of features, including their impressive october-1st november 1974, lot 271 and again,
these vessels belong to a distinct group of size, faceted bodies and six-character marks at Christie’s new York, 15th-16th september
doucai jardinières made during the reign of inscribed on the underside of the rim. Known 2011, lot 1549. a blue and white example of this
Kangxi, all of which bear a style of reign mark examples have either six or eight sides, such as form and decoration is in the palace museum,
that has been thoroughly studied by peter the present pair; an everted rim that is either Beijing, illustrated in Chen rumin ed., Gugong
Y.K. Lam in ‘Lang tingji and the porcelain of shaped or geometric; and a continuous waisted bowuguan Qingdai ciqi leixuan, Qing Shunzhi
the Late Kangxi period’, Transactions of the foot or multiple ruyi-form feet. Jardinières Kangxi chao qinghuaci [Qing porcelain from the
Oriental Ceramics Society, vol. 68, 2003-2004, of this octagonal form are rare, and only one palace museum Collection selected by type.
p. 44. Lam proposes that vessels with this other similar pair appears to be known, sold at Blue and white porcelain of the shunzhi and
mark, which is characterized by the character Christie’s hong Kong, 20th october 1995, lot Kangxi reigns of the Qing], Beijing, 2005, pl.
‘Qing’ written with a vertical stroke in the 743. see also an underglaze blue jardinière of 339.
‘moon’ radical, were made in the latter years the same form and related Daoist imagery in

32 SOTHEBY’S Important ChInese art