Page 83 - Important Chinese Art Sothebys March 2019

541
A FINE CELADON-GLAZED AND GILT ‘ROPE- as a reminder of simpler living. the Qianlong emperor was
TWIST’ VASE particularly intrigued by simulated materials, commissioning
QIANLONG SEAL MARK AND PERIOD porcelains in imitation of a range of materials such as
bronze, glass, wood and lacquer.
the globular body rounding to a waisted neck and everted a similar vase to the present example but of smaller size
rim, the sides modeled in low-relief with a continuous band and with additional gilt decoration on the rims, from the
of intertwining diamond trellis pattern set with an upright collection of t.t. tsui, is illustrated in The Tsui Museum of
loop handle to either side in imitation of basketwork, the
pattern highlighted in gilt, the exterior covered overall in a Art, Chinese Ceramics, IV, Qing Dynasty, hong Kong, 1995,
pl. 178. another similar vase of the same period but lacking
semi-translucent pale bluish-green glaze, the rim gilt, the gilt decoration is in the collection of the palace museum,
interior and base a pale turquoise, the base inscribed with a Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures
six-character seal mark in underglaze blue
height 7 in., 17.8 cm in the Palace Museum, Monochrome Porcelain, hong Kong,
1999, pl. 140.
the delightful decoration for this vase alludes to traditional
rope twist patterns made by the populace to secure pottery similar vases without gilt decoration bearing Yongzheng seal
marks are also known. one sold in our hong Kong rooms,
vessels for travel, and to daily carrying receptacles, such 26th october 2003, lot 53 and another sold at Christie’s
as fishing baskets. the decorative pattern also recalls hong Kong, 3rd June 2015, lot 3433.
a similar contrivance used on archaic ritual bronzes as
early as the shang dynasty, with large bands of diamond $ 60,000-80,000
trellis pattern around the body of various food and wine
vessels. the reference to humble materials, such as rope,
within a luxurious imperial context, was popular among the 清乾隆 粉青釉描金繩紋壺
aristocratic elite of the Qing dynasty and was meant to serve
《大清乾隆年製》款

81