Page 90 - Important Chinese Art Sothebys March 2019

this vase is striking for its exquisite painting in vivid enamels, While no other closely related vase appears to have been
and represents one of the classic styles developed at the published, related examples with lime-green ground are
Imperial kilns in Jingdezhen. the complex and auspicious known. see a slightly smaller vase painted with peaches
design is particularly successful. Flowers and leaves are emerging from lotus and shou characters, from the t.Y.
skillfully shaded in pastel tones, leaves are harmoniously Chao collection, sold in our hong Kong rooms, 18th
entwined with bats, and the three fruits are painted with the november 1986, lot 128; a pair modeled with a flared neck
skin showing signs of ripening. the surface of the vase is and with a similar design of lingzhi emerging from lotus, sold
entirely decorated, and the overall effect is of opulence and at Christie’s new York, 11th may 1981, lot 753 and again in
luxury. Vases of this type appear to have been in vogue at our hong Kong rooms, 27th april 2003, lot 200; another sold
the Jiaqing court, despite the emperor’s intention to appear at Christie’s new York, 11th may 1981, lot 753; and a further
frugal. as discussed in the catalogue to the exhibition Lord vase lacking the ruyi band at the neck, from the George
Jiaqing and the Journey to Taiwan, national palace museum, Weishaupt Collection, illustrated in Gunhild avitabile, Von
taipei, 2016, p. 167, Jiaqing and his court ‘consciously Schatz der Drachen/From the Dragon’s Treasure, London,
played down the aspect of pleasure in art and instead sought 1987, pl. 23, was sold in our hong Kong rooms, 30th april
to more closely associate court art with the ruler’s resolve to 1996, lot 509. a variation of this motif is found on a pair of
rule diligently’. smaller vases with a flared neck and bat handles, sold in our
London rooms, 6th December 1994; and a vase with melons
Despite the abdication of the Qianlong emperor and
enthronement of Jiaqing in 1796, Qianlong continued to instead of peaches sold twice in our hong Kong rooms, 29th
november 1979, lot 253, and 17th may 1988, lot 115.
control the administration of the court and influence state
affairs until his death in 1799. his active influence is reflected related auspicious motifs are also found on vases with other
in the production of imperial porcelain wares at the Imperial colored grounds; compare for example a yellow-ground vase
kilns in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, where forms and of ovoid form, similarly painted with the lotus and lingzhi
designs devised in the preceding reign, such as the present design at the neck, in the huaihaitang Collection, included
vase, continued to be made. these vases emulated the in the exhibition Ethereal Elegance. Porcelain Vases of the
elegant and stylish creations developed at the Imperial Imperial Qing, art museum, the Chinese University of hong
enamel Workshop in Beijing, but were equally influenced by Kong, hong Kong, 2007, cat. no. 135; and a turquoise-ground
luxurious textiles. version sold at Christie’s hong Kong, 30th october 1995, lot
763.
Vases belonging to this group share a number of features,
including the iron-red seal mark. they are, however, known the motif of the ‘three abundances’ emerging from a lotus
in a variety of shapes, with or without handles, and display first appeared on Qianlong mark and period vases; see for
subtle variations in their designs. the present piece is example a globular vase painted on a turquoise-ground,
particularly unusual in its depiction of the sanduo (‘three illustrated in taiji shuichi, Shindai no Jiki/Porcelain of the
abundances’) motif emerging from lotus pistils. a highly Ch’ing Dynasty, tokyo, 1976, pl. 55.
auspicious design, the pomegranate, peach and finger citron
are symbolic of many sons, long life and blessings. the vase
also features bats, which when painted upside down make
the rebus ‘happiness is arriving’, and lingzhi, the immortality
fungus, forming from lotuses at the neck.

88 SOTHEBY’S Important ChInese art