Page 328 - J. P Morgan Collection of Chinese Art and Porcelain

CASE XXXVIIl] THE MORGAN COLLECTION

of vase, with its slightly spreading foot, rounded,

swelling shoulder, small neck and lightly rimmed
mouth, is known to the Chinese by the name of mei
p'ing (prunus vase), and is supposed by them to be

an appropriate shape to hold a single spray of prunus

blossoms as a herald to the New Year's festival. The

decoration is finely worked in relief in the paste, so
that the enamels are enclosed within raised outlines

sharply and crisply modelled. The technique, in
fact, is not so far different from that of a champleve
enamel on copper.

Ming (1368-1643). Height 14K inches.

CASE XXXVIIl

911. OVOID VASE. A large ovoid vase from the

imperial potteries of the Ch'ien-lung period with the
inside of the neck and the foot enamelled green, so as
to leave a small square reserve underneath, in which

the seal mark of the reign is pencilled in red. It is

decorated outside in the soft enamels of the famille

rose with gilding. The ground, tooled with graviata

scroll work, is enamelled pink, filling in all the intervals
between sparsely spread sprays of natural flowers
which are delicately tinted in colors. This floral
ground is interrupted by three circular reserves which
are painted with the panel pictures which form the

main decoration of the vase. The groups of figures
which occupy the panels are of Taoist aspect, the

central figure of each group being an aged pilgrim
leaning on a stafi" and holding in his hand respectively
a spray of chrysanthemums, a bunch of peonies and a
sprig of prunus in blossom. Perhaps the three star
gods, Fu, Lu and Shou are intended to be represented.

Upon the shoulder and neck of the vase the forms of a

pair of lizard dragons {ch'ih lung) and the figure of a

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