Page 87 - Bonham's Asian Art London November 2015
P. 87
213 214
213 214 The narrative scenes on the present lot depict
A FAMILLE NOIRE SQUARE TAPERING A FAMILLE VERTE SQUARE TAPERING a group of eight drunkard poets of the Tang
VASE VASE Dynasty, made famous in the poem ‘Eight
19th century Kangxi Immortals of the Wine Cup’ by Du Fu (712-
Each face finely enamelled variously with deer Brightly enamelled to each face with the ‘Eight 770). Often the subject of paintings and
amongst pine trees, carp frolicking below Immortals of the Wine Cup’ framed in leaf and porcelain decoration of the late Ming and early
peony and rockwork, red-capped cranes fruit shaped cartouches, reserved on a grass Qing Dynasty, they comprise of He Zhizhang,
perched on a peach tree and two dragons seed ground with butterflies, the neck with Li Jin, Li Shizhi, Cui Zongzhi, Su Jin, Li Bai,
vying for a flaming pearl in a turbulent ocean, four archaic vessels, cut down, wood stand. Zhang Xu and Jiao Sui.
all on a deep black ground, the neck with 46.5cm (18 1/4in) high
further carp and waves, carved hardwood
stand. £1,000 - 1,500 The most recognizable here is the devout
49.5cm (19 1/2in) high CNY9,700 - 15,000 Buddhist Su Jin who sits cross-legged on a
HK$12,000 - 18,000 tiger skin rug, praying before a golden statue
£2,000 - 3,000 of Maitreya but with his well-used wine cup
CNY19,000 - 29,000 and several wine jars not far from reach.
HK$24,000 - 35,000
For a full description of four of these poets,
See a similarly shaped vase in the Victoria & and a wucai square vase, Shunzhi, with
Albert Museum Collection no. C.1305-1910, comparable scenes, held in The Nelson Atkins
where, interestingly, the porcelain is dated Museum of Art, Kansas City, see S. Little,
Kangxi and the enamels 19th century. Chinese Ceramics of the Transitional Period:
1620-1683, New York 1983, p. 102, no. 44.
ASIAN ART | 85
