Page 33 - Bonhams Fine Chinese Art November 2018

133
A FINE AND RARE FAMILLE VERTE
‘TEMPTATIONS OF LU DONGBIN’
ROULEAU VASE
Kangxi
Exquisitely enamelled around the exterior with
a continuous scene of dignitaries and ladies on
horseback led by Lu Dongbin, riding towards two
ascetics, one wearing a blue tunic with patches and
carrying a fly whisk, the other a staff, all amidst a
mountainous landscape with trees and wispy clouds.
46cm (18in) high.

£20,000 - 25,000
CNY180,000 - 230,000

清康熙 五彩正陽渡純陽圖棒槌瓶

Provenance: Paul Sobart Collection
An English private collection

來源：
Paul Sobart先生舊藏
英國私人收藏

The decoration depicts a scene from the
‘Temptations of Lu Dongbin’. The scholar Lu
Dongbin (8th century) once met an old man who
invited him for a drink. While the wine was warmed
up, Lu Dongbin fell asleep and dreamt of the great
fortunes that would befall him. Unfortunately, in
the end fate turned against him and he lost his
family, his position and all his belongings. When
he awoke, he realised it was all an illusion. The old
man laughed and said ‘A whole life lasts only a few
minutes!’ Lu then realised that the old man was
the Daoist Immortal Zhongli Quan. Zhongli Quan
accepted Lu Dongbin as his disciple but on the
condition he could resist worldly temptations. After
having overcome these temptations, he became one
of the Eight Immortals. The particular scene on the
present lot probably depicts one of the temptations,
when a mad Daoist is trying to sell Lu Dongbin a
magic potion, claiming that after drinking it one
would immediately be reborn as an Immortal. No
one dared drink the potion, but Lu did and nothing
happened. For a famille verte bowl, with similar
decoration, Kangxi, see C.J.A.Jorg, Famille Verte:
Chinese Porcelain in Green Enamels, Amsetrdam,
2011, pp.80-81.

Compare with a related figural famille verte rouleau
vase, Kangxi, which was sold at Sotheby’s London,
11 May 2016, lot 182.

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