Page 254 - Christie's London May 14, 2019 Chinese Works of Art

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A GUAN-TYPE TWIN-HANDLED VASE The moulded bowstrings and animal-mask mock handles on the current vase
QIANLONG SIX-CHARACTER SEAL MARK IN UNDERGLAZE BLUE have been adapted from those seen on ancient bronze vessels as early as
AND OF THE PERIOD (1736-1795) the Zhou dynasty. The present vase was likely to have been modelled after
The elegantly potted vase is moulded with three concentric bands and an archaic bronze in Qianlong's own collection of archaic bronzes, such as
decorated to the sides with a pair of monster masks with fxed rings, covered the example published in the Xiqing Gujian, 'Inspection of Antiques from the
overall in a thick unctuous greyish-celadon glaze with faint golden crackles, Zhou Dynasty'. The present vase, while having a shape that refers to ancient
stopping just above the foot to reveal the dark body. bronze forms, is undecorated so as not to detract from its beautiful glaze
9½ in. (24.3 cm.) high
based on Song dynasty ceramics.
£50,000-80,000 US$66,000-100,000
€59,000-93,000 The application of Song-type celadon glazes to porcelain, such as the
present lot, was another aspect of archaism seen at the court of the
清乾隆 仿官釉雙獸耳瓶 六字篆書款 Yongzheng and Qianlong Emperors. The use of Song-type glazes on
porcelains had started at the imperial kilns at Jingdezhen in the early Ming
dynasty, and was one of several archaistic trends that continued into the
Qing reigns. Song dynasty glazes that were particularly revered by the
Ming and Qing emperors included Northern Song ru ware and Southern
Song guan ware and ge ware. Although a number of Qing dynasty ceramics
decorated with Song-style glazes were made in ancient forms, as in the case
of the present vase, there are examples of the same Song-type glazes being
applied to new shapes that were pioneered at the time.
(mark)

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fee are also payable if the lot has a tax or λ symbol. Check Section D of the Conditions of Sale at the back of this catalogue.