Page 166 - Christie's Asia Week March 2024 Chinese Art

IMPORTANT CHINESE ART INCLUDING THE COLLECTION OF DOROTHY TAPPER GOLDMAN 重要中४藝術暨高曼珍藏

The distinctive shape of this vase,
characterized by a bulbous body and an
elongated neck, is identified in Chinese as
shang ping or a "reward vase." This elegant
form was favored by the Yongzheng Emperor,
who often bestowed such vases as rewards
upon officials for their achievements at
court, giving rise to the name shang ping.
Notably, the lotus motif which appears on
the present vase in the broad band of the
body, symbolizes purity and honesty, and
was a recurrent feature on these vases. The
wordplay within the qing (blue) and lian
(lotus) elements forms the term qinglian
(incorruptible), an idiomatic expression
used by emperors to counsel officials
against corruption throughout their careers.
Consequently, the tradition of decorating
shang ping vases with the blue and white lotus
motif became a longstanding practice in the
production of imperial porcelains. A nearly
identical Qianlong mark-and-period 'lotus'
bottle vase is in the collection of the Beijing
Palace Museum, illustrated by Wang Jianhua
in Gugong bowuyuan cang gu taoci ziliao
xuan cui (Selected Collection of Ancient
Ceramics in the Palace Museum), vol.2 ,
Beijing, 2005, p. 203, no. 179. Another similar
example was sold at Christie’s New York, 24
March 2011, lot 1673.
The present vase is reputed to have been
966
given to Anson Burlingame (1820-1870),
a distinguished American attorney and
The Property of a Gentleman Property from a Private Connecticut Collection
politician, by the Xianfeng Emperor to
966 967 express his appreciation for Burlingame's
services in negotiating the Chinese treaties.
A PEACHBLOOM-GLAZED BRUSH WASHER, A BLUE AND WHITE BOTTLE ‘LOTUS’ VASE Appointed as the United States Minister
TANGLUO XI QIANLONG SEAL MARK IN UNDERGLAZE BLUE AND OF THE PERIOD to China by President Abraham Lincoln in
KANGXI SIX-CHARACTER MARK IN UNDERGLAZE BLUE AND OF THE (1736-1795) 1861, Burlingame played a pivotal role in
PERIOD (1662-1722) 14æ in. (37.5 cm.) renegotiating the Treaty of Tianjin, thereby
4q in. (11.6 cm.) diam. $60,000-80,000 fostering improved diplomatic relations
$15,000-25,000 between the United States and China. In
PROVENANCE: 1867, the Chinese government appointed
Anson Burlingame (1820-1870), United States Minister to China, 1861-1867 (by
ૈ♥珍藏 repute). Burlingame as an envoy extraordinary and
清康熙 ㅬㅫ紅釉鏜鑼洗 ˕行Ս字楷書款 minister plenipotentiary to lead a diplomatic
Constance B. Burlingame (1875-1951), Washington, Connecticut (by repute). mission to the United States and principal
Private collection, Washington, Connecticut, and thence by descent within the European nations. His exceptional efforts in
family.
strengthening diplomatic ties significantly
contributed to laying the groundwork for
康涅Ṽ格州私́珍藏 future cooperation between China and the
清̖隆 青花➁枝蓮紋賞瓶 Ս字篆書款 United States.
Ϝ源
蒲安臣（1820 1870），美४駐華Ռϕ，1861 1867年 （ҷ）
Constance B. Burlingame（1875 1951），華盛頓，康涅Ṽ格州（ҷ）
華盛頓鎮私́珍藏，康涅Ṽ格州，後於家族ҷ承

967 (mark)
966 (base)

164 967