Page 71 - Mounted Oriental Porcelain Getty Museum

II. PAIR OF LIDDED JARS

THE PORCELAIN: Chinese (Kangxi), 1662-1722
THE GILT-BRONZE MOUNTS: French (Paris), circa 1745-49
HEIGHT: i ft., l/2 in. (31.8 cm); WIDTH: i ft., 1A in. (31.2 cm); DIAMETER: 8ZA in. (21.6 cm)

72.DI.4I.I-.2,

DESCRIPTION FIG. IIA
Each circular lidded jar consists of a body of bul-
bous shape; a composite domed lid with a flat top; and COMMENTARY
gilt-bronze handles, base, and finial. This type of decoration is known as Chinese Imari.
Each has been slightly cut down at the shoulder The Chinese, realizing that Japan was enjoying great
luting. Each is decorated with underglaze blue and iron success with its exported porcelain (typically and pro-
red and gilt on a white ground, with phoenixes flying fusely decorated with underglaze blue and overglaze red
amongst scrolling and flowering tree peonies. and gold), decided to imitate their popular wares.
The lip of the bowl is encircled by a gilt-bronze rim The mounts are not of the highest quality. Mounts
chased with an egg-and-leaf molding. On each side a in the form of seaweed are infrequently found, but a pair
scrolled and divided handle, of seaweed form, is attached of lidded Sevres bowls sold in Paris in 1978 bore han-
by pinned hinges to the lip and foot mounts (fig. IIB). dles similar to those that appear on these vases.1 These
They clasp the lower part of the base. The foot of the jar lidded bowls reappeared on the market in ijSy.2 In 1990
is mounted with a plain molding that rests in an elabo- an identically mounted pair of black Kangxi lidded jars
rately scrolled and foliated base with four pierced feet. was in the hands of a Paris dealer.
The lid is in two sections, the lower of which has A pair of lidded jars of Kangxi porcelain of the
been cut from the shoulders of the original jar.There is same size and shape and with all the mounts of the same
a molded flange of gilt bronze encircling the lower edge. model was sold in Paris in 1988.3
The upper part is the original flat top of the cylindrical
lid. It is surrounded by a molding similar to that which
appears around the rim of the lower stage. The whole is
surmounted by a complex gilt-bronze finial of shells,
rockwork, coral, and fish eggs. This is fitted with a
threaded rod that passes through a gilded plate in the
interior and is held in position by a nut of gilt bronze.

MARKS
The mounts are struck with the crowned C in eight
places on each jar:on the finial, on each of the two rims
of the lid, on the interior plate, on the lip of the jar, on
each handle, and on the foot. The same mounts, with the
exception of the foot, of the other jar are also stamped.

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