Page 47 - 2019 September 11th Sotheby's Important Chinese Art

This large and impressive vase illustrates the Eight Daoist 2016, lot 3611 and a pair of larger jars and covers, sold twice
Immortals as they cross the rough seas, each rendered at Christie’s Hong Kong in 1992 and 1995, and again in the
striking a different posture and identifiable by their present rooms, 17th March 2009, lot 124, from the collection
attributes, such as Li Tieguai releasing bats from a double of Gordon Getty. A famille-rose lantern-shaped vase, of
gourd. The ethereal scene is replete with auspicious symbols similar profile to the present lot, and painted with the same
of health, wealth and happiness, suggesting that it may subject was sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 9th November
have been commissioned for a birthday celebration of 1982, lot 302.
the Qianlong Emperor or the Empress. A variation of this The unusual form of this piece appears to be a modified
auspicious subject matter is seen on a Qianlong mark and version of the cylindrical and rouleau vases made
period blue and white double gourd vase which, according popular during the Kangxi reign; the straight lines of their
to the Imperial archives, was commissioned for the birthday predecessors have been replaced with a fuller body. Two
celebration of the Dowager Empress in the 34th year of the blue and white lantern-shape vases of variations of this
Qianlong reign (1769), illustrated in The Complete Collection form and painted with animals and mythical beasts, in the
of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Blue and White Porcelain Palace Museum, Beijing, are illustrated in ibid., pls 134-135.
with Underglazed Red, vol. 3, Shanghai, 2000, pl. 128. A large Compare also an example decorated with deer and pine
and impressive blue and white hu-form ‘Daoist Immortals’ trees from the Wang Xing Lou Collection, included in the
vase painted in a similar manner, sold in our Hong Kong exhibition Imperial Perfection. Chinese Palace Porcelain
rooms, 26th November 1980, lot 270 and again on 5th of Three Great Emperors, Minneapolis Institute of Arts,
October 2016, lot 3607.
Minneapolis, 2004, cat. no. 27; and another with a Qianlong
The subject of the Eight Daoist Immortals is also found in seal mark and of the period, decorated with deer in a
enameled porcelains of the Qianlong period, including a pink- landscape, sold at Christie’s London, 9th December 1985,
ground famille-rose jar, sold in the same rooms, 6th April lot 124.

PROPERTY FROM A PENNSYLVANIA CULTURAL INSTITUTION 45