Page 92 - Chinese Art Auction April 25, 2020 2020 Galerie Zacke

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AN eNAMeled ‘FINgeR cITRON’ blue
glAss WATeR POT, PINgguOZuN, QIANlONg

China, with a four-character Qianlong mark painted in gold within a
double square to the base and of the period, 1735-1796. The gold is
faded, but the characters are still legible.

Provenance: From an English private estate.
condition: In good condition. The enamels with some wear and tiny
surface scratches, possibly with the colors overall minimally faded.
The mark worn off almost entirely. Some open bubbles and other tiny
manufacturing flaws. The foot rim with traces of use.

Weight: 252 g
Dimensions: Diameter 8.5 cm
Overall, this water vessel is a good example of the enameled glass wares
produced during the reign of the Qianlong emperor. It is quite heavy for
its small size and of an intense deep-blue color, suffused all over with
minuscule air bubbles. It has a recessed circular base and a broad foot rim,
succinct towards the exterior, the lip is neatly slanted towards the interior,
the inner neck is then cylindrically cut downwards, the inside well-polished, The design of the finger citron, or Buddha’s Hand, was highly favored by the
all exactly as expected from Imperial glass wares of the mid-18th century. Qianlong emperor, a devout Buddhist who is known to have commissioned
the making of a large number of objects in the Palace Workshops decorated
The rigorously fine enameling, the crisp and astonishingly harmonious color with Buddhist themes and designs. In China, the Buddha’s hand fruit is
pallet, the simplicity of form and design as well as the strict commitment to a symbol of happiness, longevity and good fortune. It is also a traditional
function all do also very clearly point towards an Imperial provenance. The temple offering and a New year’s gift.
enameling is in shallow but well-feelable relief. It depicts finger citrus and
pomegranates on gnarly foliate branches, all springing from a single craggy Literature comparison: Compare with a water pot decorated in polychrome
rock, amid butterflies and purple day lilies. The artistic style of this décor enamels on clear ground with flowering plants and the base inscribed with
and its very fine quality are unambiguously influenced by yongzheng period a similar reign mark within a square included in Elegance and radiance,
wares, when traditional Chinese subject was favored above anything and op. cit., p. 366, pl. 145, where it is noted that the seal mark conforms to the
designs resembled fine painting. imperial format. Compare also a related enameled glass water pot from the
Paul and Helen Bernat Collection which sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 15th
Archival records of glass objects manufactured during the Qianlong period November 1988, lot 76.
discuss the making of a stand for ‘a water pot with painted enamel’ dated to
the 10th year of Qianlong’s reign, equivalent to 1745 (Peter Lam, Elegance 藍料琺琅彩佛手瓜蘋果尊，乾隆
and radiance, Hong Kong, 2000, pages 52-59). On page 55 of the same 中國，底部雙圈描金四字乾隆款，乾隆年代1735-1796。描金脫落，但仍可看清字
book, an ‘alms bowl shaped water pot with painted enamel decoration’ 跡。
dated to the 11th year of Qianlong’s reign, equivalent to 1746, is also listed. 來源：英國私人遺產
This record might refer to a piece such as the present lot, or possibly this 品相：品相良好。 琺琅釉質有些磨損，表面刮痕很小，整體顏色幾乎沒有褪色；款
very same water vessel. 幾乎完全消失；有些開放的氣泡，還有其他細微的製造缺陷；圈足有使用痕跡。
重量：252 克
Also according to Peter Lam, glassware designs were often sketched by 尺寸：直徑8.5 厘米
the Ruyiguan (Hall of Ruyi) or by the workshops in the Zaobanchu (Imperial
Palace Workshops), and after the approval of the Emperor, the design estimate euR 1.500,-
would be sent to the glasshouse for production. Starting price EUr 750,-

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