Page 69 - Bonhams May 11th 2017 London Fine Chinese Art

156 * 156

AN YIXING STONEWARE ‘AUBERGINE’
WATER-DROPPER
Chen Mingyuan seal mark, early 20th century
Naturalistically potted in the form of a plump
aubergine, depicted issuing from a short stem, with
a twig and three leaves, the flow of water controlled
from the opening at the stalk, the stoneware of a
rich dark-brown colour, wood stand and box.
10.8cm (4 1/4in) long. (3).

£3,000 - 5,000
CNY26,000 - 43,000

二十世紀初 宜興紫砂茄型水注
「陳鳴遠」篆書印款

Provenance: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 24 May 1978,
lot 338
A Hong Kong private collection

來源：
1978年5月24日於香港蘇富比拍賣，拍品338號
香港私人收藏

Compare with a related Yixing stoneware
‘aubergine’ with Chen Mingyuan mark, exhibited at
the China Institute in America, Exhibition of I-Hsing
Ware, 1977, and illustrated by T.T.Bartholemew in
the Catalogue, fig.52, from the collection of I.M.Pei.

157
A BLANC-DE-CHINE FIGURE OF GUANDI
17th century
The figure finely modelled wearing a cloth cap tied
in a simple knot over the head with two trailing
ribbons, the face with stern expression and the
mouth surrounded by holes for a moustache and
beard, the hands clasped across the rounded belly
and concealed beneath long flowing sleeves, all
covered in a rich creamy-white glaze, the interior
incised with a four-character mark reading ‘Da Ming
Nian Zhi’.
21.5cm (8 1/2in) high

£4,500 - 6,000
CNY39,000 - 52,000

十七世紀 德化白瓷關帝立像

The military general Guan Yu (died 219AD) was
glorified for his loyalty and martial prowess in the
Ming dynasty historical novel Romance of the Three
Kingdoms, attributed to Luo Guanzhong. In 1614,
during the revitalization of the Ming military under the
Wanli emperor, the worship of Guan Yu became a
State-sponsored cult and henceforth became known
also as Guandi (literally ‘Emperor Guan’), the God of
War. A similar blanc-de-chine figure of Guandi with a
pedestal, Ming dynasty, c.1610-1620, is illustrated by
J.Harrison-Hall, Ming Ceramics in the British Museum,
London, 2001, p.512. Compare also with a related but
slightly larger figure of Guandi, 17th century, which was
sold in these rooms, 15 May 2014, lot 22.

157 FINE CHINESE ART | 67
For details of the charges payable in addition to the final Hammer Price of each Lot
please refer to paragraphs 7 & 8 of the Notice to Bidders at the back of the catalogue.