Page 93 - Chinese porcelains collected by Mr. and Mrs. Charles P. Taft, Cincinnati, Ohio, by John Getz

CHINESE PORCELAINS

No. 19

Tali Blue and White Vase, cylindrical form with rounded shoulder and

attenuated neck ; so-called club shape, of fine contour.

Hard white-textured and semi-egg-shell porcelain, of rare purity, displaying under

mglaze pciinting of remarkable vitality and rare deep cobalt.

The spirited warrior subject, carried around vase, represents an episode' involving
heroes of the wars between "the Three Kingdoms. " Ch'ou Yiin was a famous re-
tainer of Liu Pei (afterward King of Shuh). The latter was at one time ( 1 95 A. D.)
defeated by Ts'ao-Ts'ao ; and Ch'ou Yiin, in rescuing an infant son of his chief, was
closely pursued by one of the rival leaders, when suddenly a great chasm yawned be-

fore him. Urging his horse {vide escaping horseman), he cleared the chasm and escaped.

The leader of Ts'ao referred to is shown on a dappled horse, followed by a stcmdard-

bearer with several swordsmen at his side.

The third horseman, approaching from behind rocks, is another famous hero, Kuan

Yii, of the penod, distinguished by his burly height and stem mien, seen holding aloft a
long, ancient weapon, and rushing to the aid of his companion in arms, Ch'ou Yiin.

The accessories of landscape include a high silicic peak, water and trees ; the roof

of a partly visible royal pa\ilion, suggesting the proximity of Liu Pei's domains.

The white tubular neck is encircled by the usual nng-borders, key-fretted and curled-

fungus design, with a line of small dots below.

TTie fine white foot is without mark.

The drawing is characterized by technical master)' and power of expressing action.
Its provenance may easily be set at the close of the seventeenth century, when the
cobalt-blue was at its best.

Era of K'ang-hsi (1662-1722).

Height, 8' 4 inches.

1

Diameter, 8 inches.

' From the celebrated historical novel " San- after his secession from Liu Pei, and the Siian
kua-chih,' or " Records of the TTiree Kingdoms."
family, which resulted in the partition of the em-
This is the most popular work of its kind in
China, and details the triangular contest for the pire among the house of Han of Szechuen and
throne waged by Liu Pei, assisted by Ch'ou Yiin,
Chang Fei, and Kuan Yii, against Ts'ao-Ts'ao, Wuthose of and of Wei, founded respectively by

Liu-siian-te and Ts'ao Meng-te (A. D. 220-

280).

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