Page 58 - Importan Chinese Art Christie's May 2018

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A BLUE AND WHITE MINIATURE VASE, HU
QIANLONG SIX-CHARACTER SEAL MARK IN UNDERGLAZE-BLUE
AND OF THE PERIOD (1736-1795)
清乾隆 青花纏枝花卉紋雙耳小壺 六字篆書款
The small vase is intricately painted in shades of cobalt blue to depict fower
heads and scrolling leaves, below a band of crashing waves encircling the
mouth and above a lappet band and classic scroll around the foot. The sides of
the neck are applied with a pair of tubular handles.
4Ω in. (11.5 cm.) high
£40,000–60,000 $57,000–85,000
€46,000–69,000
The taste for miniature pieces such as the present charming hu vase found
its greatest imperial expression in the Qianlong reign when selected small
antique items from the imperial collections were put into ingeniously
constructed 'treasure boxes', duobaoge. Several examples of miniature hu-
form Guan ware vases dating to the Southern Song dynasty (1127-1279) are
known, such as the one in the collection of the National Palace Museum,
Taipei, illustrated in Emperor Ch'ien-lung's Grand Cultural Enterprise, Taipei,
2002, pp. 52-3, no. I-41. Another example, dated to the Southern Song/ Yuan
dynasty, 13th century was sold at Christie's New York, 26 March 2010, lot
1337. It is possible that the appreciation of these miniature antique pieces
inspired the production of contemporary counterparts with Qianlong imperial
reign marks. Although the miniature hu-form appears to relate to early
celadon wares, the decoration seen on the current vase draws its inspiration
from underglaze blue foral scroll decoration seen on early Ming dynasty
wares, a characteristic trait of imperial 18th century ceramics.

(mark)

56 Other fees apply in addition to the hammer price – see Section D of our Conditions of Sale at the back of this Catalogue