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PROPERTY FROM AN AMERICAN PRIVATE The red dust [of the mortal world] is barred from ૶৻ඤ ४੹ᎀɪ૴ڀකΈʆ˥ྡ੿ᕚ་
COLLECTION entrance, ᗗଧɓ࿁
A RARE PAIR OF IMPERIALLY But fragrance can penetrate the gauze of the ɽ૶৻ඤϋႡ‘ಛ
INSCRIBED FAMILLE-ROSE WALL window blind. ᕚᗆj
VASES Composed by the Emperor in the Qianlong period
and inscribed by his order. ֜ϧ၈Τۜ อଧႡһྗ
QIANLONG SEAL MARKS AND ᎇБԶᄟ൘ ض༩ᓘٹശ
PERIOD The poem records the emperor’s admiration of નஈჀԓ၈ ᔇԸ௉̓ુ
wall vases, particularly referencing those hung in
each of rectangular section, carved with an sedans. While porcelain wall vases were produced ߎྡྷτ੻ڐ ࠰ᛑܓ੯६ ৻ඤ੿ᕚ
integral openwork imitation gilt-lacquer base, from the late Ming period, the present examples Ι˖j
waisted foot, and subtly tapered square body embody the technical advances in porcelain ৻ ඤ
surmounted by a waisted neck supporting a pair production during the early 18th century and
of simpli" ed dragon-form handles beneath a combine several decorative techniques which
galleried rim, the body centered with a square were developed at the imperial kilns. The
panel respectively painted with an imperial Qianlong emperor’s predilection for porcelain
poem or with a spring landscape of " gures and vessels that contained elements simulating
pavilions amidst blossoming cherry trees and objects in other materials resulted in remarkable
verdant weeping willows around a mountain lake, examples of trompe l’oeil. The stands on which
the panels reserved against an opulent ground the vases rest resemble gilt-decorated lacquer
of stippled polychrome chilong and scrolling stands, while the vases themselves follow in the
lotus and dahlia over a dense network of iron-red style of painted metalwares with their shaped
coiling leafy vines, bands of petal-lappets and ruyi handles, unconventional square form, and gilt
heads at the foot and neck, the back and interior borders. In Tao shuo, published in 1774, Zhu
enameled turquoise, the base with a horizontal Yan noted that ‘among all the works of art in
gilt six-character mark in seal script (2) gold, embossed silver, chiselled stone, lacquer,
Height 8 in., 20.3 cm mother-of-pearl, bamboo and wood, gourd and
shell, there is not one that is not now produced
Conceived as a pair with one vase illustrating a
in porcelain, a perfect imitation of the original
scene that complements the poem on its mate.
(fang xiao er xiao)’. Together with the rich web
Surviving complementary vessels of this type
of iron-red scrolls and a reinterpretation of a
are exceedingly rare and re! ect the creativity of classic ‘confronting phoenix’ motif in the newly
craftsmen that was encouraged by the Qianlong
developed pastel palette, a lavish design has been
emperor. They are reminiscent of rich albums
created in accordance with the emperor’s taste.
and handscrolls depicting idealized landscapes
and accompanied by calligraphic inscriptions The poem on the present vase is found on
and seals of the artist or collector, which were several Qianlong mark and period wall vases.
bordered in sumptuous textile. As such, vessels See one painted in yangcai enamels on a yellow
of this type would have appealed to the emperor ground, in the National Palace Museum, Taipei,
both for their craftsmanship and association with included in the Museum’s exhibition Stunning
other scholarly pursuits. Decorative Porcelains from the Ch’ien-lung Reign,
Taipei, 2008, cat. no. 20; a blue-ground pair, in
The poem inscribed on one vase was composed the Nanjing Museum, Nanjing, included in the
by the Qianlong emperor in 1742 and included in
exhibition Qing Imperial Porcelain of the Kangxi,
the Qianlong yuzhi shiji (Imperial Compositions of
Yongzheng and Qianlong Reigns, Art Gallery, The
Qianlong). It can be translated as follows:
Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong,
Guan wares and those of Ruzhou are famous 1995, cat. no. 97; another from the collection of
classes [of ceramics], Sir Percival David, now in the British Museum,
Yet the shapes of the new wares are even more illustrated in Rosemary E. Scott, Qing Porcelain
admirable. for the Imperial Court, London, 1998, pl. 3; and a
This hanging vase inspires the traveler both to fourth example, the inscription enameled in gilt,
sing, included in the exhibition Chinese Porcelain. The
And to gather ! owers by the wayside. S.C. Ko Tianminlou Collection, vol. 1, Hong Kong
A sedan chair is indeed a suitable place for it to Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1987, pl. 116.
be hung,
$ 100,000-150,000
As over its side wild ! owers incline so
appropriately.

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