Page 88 - Chinese porcelains collected by Mr. and Mrs. Charles P. Taft, Cincinnati, Ohio, by John Getz
P. 88
A CATALOGUE OF
No. 18
Pair of Tall Jar-shaped Vases, with covers, of the so-called "Lange-
lysen" type, and of similar form to the center piece.
These vases are uniformly decorated in brilliant shades of blue upon a white ground
of fine quality and even texture; the design, which is symmetrical and equally disposed
over the surface, presents three tiers of lotus-petal panels, that are slightly raised and
encircle the body, each sustaining its own design, edged with blue lines.
The upper row of large panels displays a lady in gracefully flowing attire, daintily oc-
cupied with flowers and dancing ;^ the figure appears on each panel against a background
strewn with flowers, and the raison d'etre may be found in the middle row of panels,
representing warriors, noble horsemen, and hunting scenery.
The third and lowest row of panels show, altemately, a lady in graceful pose or slow
dance with tiny fans, anA the conventional flower-pots with their stands.
The depressed field above the panels, surrounding the shoulder emd the neck, is filled
in with floral sprays and encircled by a " herring-bone"-fret band.
The low bell-shaped covers have a blue-tipped knob, and are invested with an alter-
nate figure and flower-pot decoration similar to the subjects on lower row of panels.
The paste and the quality of the cobalt-blue exemplify the highest type of their class.
Each foot bears the six character-marks (apocryphal) of Ch'eng-hua (1465-1487),
dynasty of Ming.
Era of K'ang-hsi (1662-1722).
9
Height, 1 '-2 inches.
Diameter, 8 "2 inches.
' The cirramgement of flowers centuries ago was considered an accomplishment for a lady of rank,
and is an art of Chinese origin.
20'
