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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