Page 265 - Christies Fine Chinese Works of Art March 2016 New York
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PROPERTY FROM AN ENGLISH PRIVATE COLLECTION Stylistically, the carved decoration is similar to the graceful peony scroll that
decorates a Song dynasty meiping in the British Museum, illustrated by M.
1545 Tregear in Song Ceramics, New York, 1982, p. 92, pl. 91, and a vase in the
Idemitsu Museum illustrated in Song Ceramics, 1979, no. 98. On both of
A RARE CIZHOU-TYPE CARVED LOTUS BUD-FORM JAR these vases the incised decoration is cut through the underlying white slip to
NORTHERN SONG DYNASTY, 12TH CENTURY the body, and the whole is covered with a transparent green glaze, allowing
the decoration to appear a lighter color in contrast to the background. This
The exterior is carved through the white slip with a wide band efect is also seen on the present jar, with the very rare pale brown glaze
enclosing four scrolling lotus stems bearing two blossoms each that replacing the green glaze. A related brown glaze can be seen on a Cizhou-
issue from the upper border, all covered with a pale brown glaze type conical bowl in the Tokyo National Museum, dated 12th century, molded
combed with linear details which appear white on the fower petals. in the interior with peony scroll, illustrated in Sekai Toji Zenshu, vol. 12, Japan,
The glaze continues over the rim and ends above a band of white slip 1977, col. pl. 244. On the bowl, the glaze covers the interior and exterior
covered with a transparent glaze on the lower body above the ring below a transparent-glazed band of white slip at the rim.
foot, exposing the buff ware. The base is painted in black with two
characters, Xuan Shun. 北宋 磁州系白地刻蓮紋雞心罐
5¿ in. (13 cm.) high, box
$25,000-35,000
PROVENANCE
By repute, John Sparks Ltd., London, 1930s.
George Harwood Sr., Johannesburg, South Africa, and thence by
descent.
The combination of the bud shape and the decoration of this jar are very rare,
and no other example appears to have been published.
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