Page 139 - Sotheby's Speelman Collection Oct. 3, 2018

It is rare to find ewers made in cloisonné enamel and even Qianlong ewers appear to have been inspired by an earlier,
rarer are those bearing an imperial reign mark which identifies Ming-dynasty ewer such as the one published in The
the vessel to be made for the Palace. Only one other similar Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum.
ewer, possibly the pair to the present vessel, appears to be Metal-bodied Enamel Ware, Hong Kong, 2002, pl. 67. While
recorded, the ewer in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, the two Qing ewers closely follow the Ming prototype, they
illustrated in Enamel Ware in the Ming and Ch’ing Dynasty, have one additional design element – the dragon tail. Qing
National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1999, no. 61 (fig. 1). The craftsmen made liberal changes to earlier models by adding
spout in the form of a phoenix head, the swing-handle their own design elements, thus creating vessels that were
decorated with two facing dragons amongst swirling ‘wish- contemporary and individual. The dragon tail may be regarded
granting’ clouds (ruyi yun) and the dragon tail decoration on as a continuation of the spout that has the phoenix head
the side of the vessel are all highly auspicious design elements emerging out from the jaws of a dragon mouth.
associated with the emperor and the empress. Two facing For an example of cloisonné enamel ewer of different form see
dragons symbolise a happy reunion (xi xiangfeng), while the one of squat drum shape with three feet and curving spout, in
dragon and phoenix together represent good fortune and the Phoenix Art Museum, illustrated in Chinese Cloisonne. The
blessings for the emperor and the empress. The dragon Clague Collection, Phoenix, 1980, pl. 32, attributed to the 17th
and phoenix are the most auspicious amongst the mythical century.
animals and together form a typical motif used at weddings.
The clouds are named after ruyi (as you wish) and symbolise
the granting of all wishes for the happy couple. From its rich
decoration, this ewer was probably made as a wedding gift.

GEMS OF CHINESE ART — THE SPEELMAN COLLECTION II 137