Page 208 - Christie's London Fine Chinese Ceramics Nov. 2019

Fit for a Palace: A Pair of Large Famille Rose Lidded Jars

Rosemary Scott, Senior International Academic Consultant, Asian Art

This pair of famille rose lidded jars is remarkable both Zhenzong’s orders. Yang Ye’s daughter crossed the border
for its large size and also for the exceptional quality of its alone to bring back her father’s remains and his golden
overglaze enamel decoration. The enamels themselves are sabre. However, it is the later part of the story that is
of very high quality, with unusual clarity and brilliance, while celebrated in the theme of the Female Generals of the Yang
the painting has been executed with particular skill. Superb Family. After the death of Yang Yanzhao, the Yang family
monumental vessels of this type were not only appreciated was bereft of men of military age, and so twelve of the
in China, but were much sought-after by the royal and women of the Yang family are supposed to have joined
aristocratic owners of palaces and stately homes in Europe, the campaign against the Xi Xia and proved themselves
where their display reinforced the grandeur of the palaces brave and able soldiers, while exacting revenge for the
and exquisite taste of their owners. death of their menfolk. This part of the story became
more popular in the Qing dynasty and the Jiaqing emperor
The main decoration on both jars depicts beautifully (1796-1820) ordered the stories about the generals of
dressed and coifured equestriennes riding at full pelt the Yang family to be included in Song Book to Enlighten
through a garden and away from a mansion with a trellis Generations while in the 19th and 20th centuries it was the
covered in fowering plants to one side. This was a popular subject of operatic performances.
decorative theme on large, high-quality porcelains of the
18th century, but its interpretation has been the subject The equestriennes depicted on the current jars and similar
of some debate amongst art historians. The most usual large 18th century vessels are often though to be the
interpretation is that these ladies represent the female female generals of the Yang family leaving their home and
generals of the Yang family. The stories concerning the riding out to join the loyal troops. However, there is another
Generals of the Yang Family derive from a mixture of interpretation of the scene on these jars and other vessels.
history, folk tales, plays and novels. The stories take place It is suggested that the scenes come from an historical
during the Song dynasty between approximately AD 960 novel Sui Tang Yanyi (Romance of the Sui and Tang) by Zhu
and 1050, and celebrate both the military abilities and the Renhuo (active 1675-1695), which is loosely based on events
ultimate loyalty of succeeding generations of the Yang believed to have taken place in the Sui and Tang dynasties.
family to the Song emperors in their battles against the Once again, the name Yang is involved; in this case Emperor
Khitans of the Liao and the Tanguts of the Xi Xia. At least Yang of the Sui dynasty ( r. AD 604-618), who is regarded as
three of the Yang family protagonists are historical fgures possibly guilty of patricide, a tyrant, but who also embarked
– Yang Ye (d. AD 986), Yang Yanzhao (c. 958-1014) and on great building projects, such as the Grand Canal and the
Yang Wenguang (d. 1074), but the tales are mostly fctional Great Wall. Emperor Yang also built a luxurious palace at
– beginning as legends, then being retold in plays during Luoyang and is reported to have required his concubines to
the 14th and 15th centuries, and providing the substance fnd novel ways to entertain him. It may be Emperor Yang
of novels in the 16th-19th century. The two most famous who is depicted in the current jars, seated on a balcony
of the Ming dynasty novels are Records of the Two Songs, watching the equestriennes. In which case the scene shows
South and North (Liang Song Nanbei Zhizhuan) by Xiong some of his concubines re-enacting for the emperor’s
Damu, and Popular Romance of the Loyalty and Bravery amusement, the story of famed Han dynasty beauty Wang
over Successive Generations of the Yang Family (Yang Zhaojun, who was sent, against her will, across the border
Jia Fu Shidai Zhongyong Tongsu Yanyi ) by Qinhuai Moke to marry Huhanye Chanyu leader of the Xiongnu Empire in
(probably the nom de plume of Ji Zhenlun) – both originally order to cement a political alliance.
written in the 16th century.
Whichever interpretation of the scenes is accepted, the
While in these pre-Qing versions of the Yang family tales depictions are exceptionally fne. The jars also bear unusual
it is the male members of the family who dominate, even details on their lids. The bud-shaped fnial bears a delicate
in these some of the female characters demonstrate their golden chrysanthemum, while the part of the lid just below
mettle. She Saihua, the wife of Yang Ye, is credited with the fnial has an unusual, but visually efective band which
joining her husband in battle and shooting one of the includes well-painted peaches – symbols of longevity –
invaders with an arrow. Other women from the Yang family which fully utilise the rich pink enamel. Such magnifcent
administered a serious beating to an oficial who was jars would undoubtedly have graced a noble house, adding
disrespectful of the family epitaph, erected on Emperor to the splendour of its furnishings.

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