Page 172 - Fine Chinese Art Bonhams London May 2018

161
A RARE AND LARGE IMPERIAL INCISED PALE GREEN
AND BLACK JADE VASE, HU
Qianlong four-character fanggu mark and of the period
Smoothly carved as a vessel of flattened hu form supported on a
spreading foot with the neck flanked by a pair of tubular handles,
incised and gilt around the exterior with plum blossoms and flying
birds, the stone of pale celadon tone with black and brown patches.
32cm (12 1/2in) high.
£30,000 - 50,000
CNY270,000 - 450,000
清乾隆 青玉刻喜鵲登梅貫耳壺
「乾隆年製」隸書刻款

The Qianlong emperor proposed to ‘restore ancient ways’ and
‘model on the antique’ (fanggu 仿古), referring to the view of ancient
culture as having intrinsic qualities of sincerity, simplicity and good
governance. For this purpose the Emperor instructed the court to
collect drawings of antiquities, such as the Xi Qing Gu Jian (Catalogue
of Xiqing Antiquities), which were in turn provided to the craftsmen for
inspiration. The design of the present jade vase is likely to have been
inspired by the bronze vessels of the Zhou dynasty. See Chang Li-
tuan, The Refined Taste of the Emperor: Special Exhibition of Archaic
and Pictorial Jades of the Ch’ing Court, Taipei, 1997, pp.49-50.

Compare with a related but smaller but related pale celadon jade
vase incised and gilt with prunus, Jiaqing, which was sold at Christie’s
London, 10 November 2015, lot 130. See also a related archaistic pale
green and grey jade vase and cover, Qianlong fanggu four-character
mark and of the period, which was sold at Bonhams London, 7
November 2013, lot 104.

For details of the charges payable in addition to the final Hammer Price of each Lot
164 | BONHAMS please refer to paragraphs 7 & 8 of the Notice to Bidders at the back of the catalogue.