Page 279 - Christie's London May 14, 2019 Chinese Works of Art
P. 279

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                                                              The long inscription describes the life story of the protagonist Cai Wenji.
          A FAMILLE ROSE INSCRIBED 'FIGURAL' VASE
          REPUBLIC PERIOD (1912-1949), WITH THE SEAL MARK OF WANG   The daughter of the famous scholar Cai Yong, Cai Wenji is eulogised as
          DAFAN (1888-1961)                                   a talented female calligrapher and composer of the Eastern Han period.
                                                              Cai's husband Wei Zhongdao died shortly after their marriage, and Cai was
          The elegantly potted vase is decorated to the exterior with a continuous
          mountainous landscape scene featuring the famous female poet and musician   captured by the Xiongnu when they invaded Han territory. She remarried the
          Cai Wenji riding a camel and accompanied by attendants, one of which is   Xiongnu chieftain Liu Bao during her captivity, and gave birth to two sons.
          carrying her two young sons in a large basket. There is a long poetic inscription   Twelve years later, she was eventually freed after the Han Chancellor Cao
          in seal script to the shoulder of the vessel, ending with an iron-red square seal   Cao paid a heavy random for her release. The story of Cai bidding farewell
          containing the characters 'da fan'. The base has a four-character seal mark in   to her young sons as she returns to Han territory has been portrayed in
          iron-red reading 'kuai yun tang zhi'.               paintings and plays throughout Chinese history and she continues to be a
          12 in. (30.5 cm.) high
                                                              popular symbol for female resilience.
          £6,000-8,000                          US$7,900-10,000
                                                  €7,000-9,300
                                                              民國 王大凡繪粉彩文姬歸漢圖詩文瓶
                                                              礬紅「大藩」篆書印
                                                              礬紅「快雲堂製」 篆書款


                                                              來源: 美國私人珍藏
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