Page 47 - Sotheby's Speelman Collection Oct. 3, 2018

Striking for its monumental size, it is extremely rare to Although the technique of overlaying (also known as Peking
find glass of such proportions and the present vase must glass) started in the Kangxi period and continued into the
have been a formidable task for the glassmaker to blow Yongzheng reign, only a few pieces from these periods are
successfully and subsequently overlay with the red layer. The registered in the imperial archives. It was only with the advent
carver draws attention to this remarkable feat by retaining as of the Qianlong reign that more glass wares in this decorative
much of the red glass as possible and reserving the crackled style, with its rich sculptural effects, came into prominence.
white ground for the upper and lowermost bands, thus further Compare vases with a similar snowflake ground and carved
imbuing the piece with a sense of luxury. ruby-red overlay, but of much smaller size, such as a jar and
cover, with a Qianlong reign mark and of the period, rendered
In its exceptional quality and craftsmanship, this vase was
clearly related to the glass ware produced in the Glass House with figures around a pavilion surrounded by trees, from the
in the Forbidden City under the Qianlong Emperor. The glass collections of Harris Hammond, Allen J. Mercher, Walter F
workshop was established in 1696 under the jurisdiction of Smith Jr, W. Henrich, and Professor P.H. and Mrs T. Plesch,
the Zaobanchu and supervised by Kilian Stumpf, a Jesuit sold in 1957, 1968, and most recently in these rooms, 2nd May
missionary with the scientific skills of glassmaking. He is 1995, lot 202; and another sold in our London rooms, 20th
also said to have introduced the art of glassmaking to the June 2001, lot 111. See also a pair of bottle vases, carved with
court and hired two French Jesuit glassmakers, Vilatte and immortals amongst rocks and pine trees, with Qianlong reign
d’Andigne, along with a few talented Chinese artisans from marks but attributed to the 18th/19th century, included in
Yanshen and Guangzhou to work in the Glass House. By the exhibition Elegance and Radiance, The Art Museum, The
Qianlong’s reign glassmaking in China had reached its zenith, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 2000, pl. 111.
particularly with the help of two further Jesuit missionaries, In form and decoration the present vase closely follows
Gabriel-Leonard de Brossard and Pierre d’Incarville, who Kangxi figural rouleau vases, although each section has been
introduced new designs and successfully produced glass attractively separated with carved bamboo-form borders,
types previously unseen. Palace records show that the creating a sense of unity overall by echoing the decoration at
Qianlong Emperor was very particular about the standard of the neck. The interaction between ceramics and glass resulted
glass produced in the workshop, rewarding various officials in fruitful experimentation throughout the Qing period. For
responsible for the wares when pleased and imposing example, Longquan celadon ware provided sources for glass
harsh penalties when displeased (see Emily B. Curtis, ‘Qing shapes while the colour, which also referenced jade, provided
Glassmaking. The Jesuit Workshop on Canchikou’, Lustre of inspiration for monochrome opaque glass. The present vase
Autumn Winter, Beijing, 2004, p. 98). reveals its roots in copper and iron-red decorated porcelain.