Page 36 - Christie's London May 14, 2019 Chinese Works of Art

*91 The association of peaches with longevity arises from the fact of their being
symbols of the Star God of Longevity Shou Lao, and linked with the legend
AN YIXING PEACH-FORM WATER POT
QING DYNASTY (1644-1911) of the peaches which grew in the orchard of Xiwangmu, the Queen Mother
of the West. These latter peaches took three thousand years to ripen, but
The pale beige body is fnely modelled as two peaches, one halved and one
whole, on a gnarled, leafy branch. The halved peach is applied with a peach conveyed immortality on anyone who ate them. Items decorated with or
stone on the interior wall which forms a receptacle that is pierced to allow in the form of peaches were a popular birthday gift in the Ming and Qing
water to fow in from the whole peach reservoir. The vessel is speckled with dynasties. Small items for the scholar's table in the form of a single peach or
reddish slip to suggest the 'blush' of ripeness, and the base is stamped with a two peaches, were especially popular in the 17th and 18th centuries. Another
seal reading shouwen. similar yixing double peach-form water pot was in the Robert Blumenfeld
5¼ in. (13.4 cm.) wide collection and sold at Christie's New York in Auspicious Treasures from the
Blumenfeld Collection, 22 March 2012, lot 1253.
£20,000-30,000 US$27,000-39,000
€24,000-35,000
清 宜興紫砂雙桃式水盂
PROVENANCE:
Yixing Stoneware from the Mr. & Mrs. Gerard Hawthorne Collection; Bonhams
Hong Kong, 28 November 2011, lot 270. 「壽文」篆書方印
Property from a Princely Collection.
The form of this elegant water pot modelled as two peaches attached to a 來源:
branch with a peach stone inside the open fruit was carefully chosen both for
its symbolic meaning and as a demonstration of technical ingenuity. Peach 香港邦瀚斯2011年11月28日《好善簃珍藏宜興紫砂》，
trees have a sacred connotation in China and in ancient times the wood of 拍品270
the peach tree was used as a charm against evil. Thus, the branch of this
water pot serves both as a representation of the tree, and as a naturalistic 貴族私人珍藏
feature joining the two peaches. The peaches themselves are symbols of
longevity, and the fact of there being two of these fruit doubles the wish.

(mark)

34 In addition to the hammer price, a Buyer’s Premium (plus VAT) is payable. Other taxes and/or an Artist Resale Royalty
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.