Page 164 - Chinese porcelains collected by Mr. and Mrs. Charles P. Taft, Cincinnati, Ohio, by John Getz

A CATALOGUE OF

No. 44

Grand Decorated Vase (one of a pair), large graceful oviform, with short
neck and cover.

Massive porcelain of fine white texture, the "over-glaze" painting in the sumptuous
"famille rose" palette, presenting, wath great decorative skill, a radiant landscape, together
with a scene of court life that doubtless is an adaptation from some master of the Sung

m mor the Yiien dynasty, changed only its color-tints accordance with such enticmg

enamels as were employed by the ceramists of the Yung-cheng period, when everything
was made "couleur de rose."

The central motive displays a summer pavilion, raised on piles over a lotus-pond, and

occupied by an emperor (possibly Yii the Great ^) enjoying life and the beautiful scene
about him after his labors to subdue the great floods in China that existed before his reign.

The potentate is seated and robed in gold ; he is holding a closed fan and examining
the work on another, held for his mspection by a young lady, while two attendants

with tall fans stand behind; another, to the left, bears a wine-pot on a tray; to the right,
a "scholar" is approaching from the steps, awaiting his presentation, through a young

courtier standing near, and who also holds a scholar's emblem.
The pavilion, with its rich blue-tinted roof supported by yellow columns, is also fin-

ished with a rich rdling, upon which lotus-flower ornaments are suspended ; and a crimson
valance with a yellow border hangs from the red cornice, completing the accessories.

The surrounding scene, with its gaily dressed young people of the court enjoying their
boating among the flowering lotus, presents a most pleasing picture of animation and
brilliant coloring. The composition is sustained by large-flowering peonies, of gorgeous

tints, grov^ng near silicic rocky masses, and by a stone-arched bndge, that connects
with the summer pavilion. Underneath are seen the boats lazily drifting along the wind-

ing lotus-pond.

' Yii the Great was the successor of the Elm- of the flood that covered the territories of the
peror Shun, and reputed descendant of the Em- empire, a task to which he devoted nine years,
without care for food or raiment. (Mayer's
peror Hwang Ti. He commenced to reign 2205 Manual.)

B.C. His great work was controlling the waters

1581