Page 337 - Christie's Fine Chinese Paintings March 19 2019 Auction

VARIOUS PROPERTIES
1828
A LARGE LANGYAO RED BALUSTER VASE
KANGXI PERIOD (1662-1722)
The high-shouldered body tapers slightly towards
the slightly spreading foot, and is covered with
a crackled glaze of rich, crushed strawberry-red
color, shading to a darker tone on the lower body
and on the neck, before thinning to a mushroom
color below the white rim. A fne golden crackle
sufuses the creamy glaze on the interior and the
base.
17Ω in. (44.5 cm.) high
$20,000-30,000

The term langyao, ‘lang wares’, derives its name
from Lang Tingji, director of the oficial kilns at
Jingdezhen between 1705-1712, who is credited
with the revival of monochrome glazes and
particularly copper-red glazes. The copper-red
color is often considered the most challenging
to regulate during the fring process as exactly
the right conditions are required within the kiln
to achieve the rich tones demonstrated by the
present lot. Although copper-red was used
successfully in the Ming dynasty, particularly in
the Xuande period, the copper-red monochrome
glazes seen in the Qing dynasty became even
more refned and were of an exceptionally even and
vibrant tone. The fne glaze and elegant form of the
present vase exemplifes the skill of the Chinese
potters under Lang Tingji.

The shape of the current vase, which is sometimes
referred to as a ‘Guanyin vase’, is characteristic of
lang wares. Compare two langyao vases of similar
shape, one in the collection of the Palace Museum,
Beijing (illustrated in The Complete Collection of
Treasures of the Palace Museum - 37- Monochrome
Porcelain , Hong Kong, 1999, p. 18, no. 15), and
another in the collection of the National Palace
Museum, Taipei, illustrated in Catalogue of A
Special Exhibition of Ch’ing Dynasty Monochrome
Porcelains in the National Palace Museum, Taipei,
1981, p. 35, no. 1.

清康熙 郎窯紅釉觀音瓶

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