Page 52 - Bonham's Asian Art London November 12, 2015
P. 52
59 † By the late Ming dynasty, with the advancing technology in woodblock
A RARE DOCUMENTARY PARCEL-GILT PEWTER ‘ROMANCE printing, pictorial representations of scenes derived from famous
OF THE WEST CHAMBER’ VASE AND COVER, MEIPING legends and literature, such as the Romance of West Chamber
Dated by inscription to sixth year of Wanli (AD 1578) and of the period compiled in the Yuan Dynasty, became widely circulated in printed
Rising from an elegantly spreading foot, the body incised with eight books as illustrations accompanying texts. Consequently, pictorial
panels enclosing scenes derived from the ‘Romance of the West illustrations stimulated the dissemination of tales and fictional scenes
Chamber’, each depicting scholars and ladies in various pursuit in amongst the wider society, in particular the flourishing scholar-literati
domestic settings accompanied with titles and descriptive couplets, and merchant class, which eventually inspired and encouraged
all beneath a continuous band of descending ruyi-shaped pendants contemporary craftsmen in implementing literary elements when
to the high shoulder and lappets to the neck, surmounted by a knob- decorating ceramics and works of art, as seen in the present lot.
shaped finial alternated with figural and floral panels.
39.1cm (15 3/8in) high (2). The present lot is particularly rare as an inscribed pewter vase,
providing written account of the date and attribution of the piece.
£60,000 - 80,000
HK$710,000 - 940,000 CNY580,000 - 770,000
明萬曆六年（AD 1578)
局部鎏金錫西廂記圖帶蓋八方梅瓶
「萬曆六年二月十四日造」、「匠人閆通趙子寶二人造」刻款
