Page 190 - Christie's Important Chinese Art Nov 3 2020 London

PROPERTY FROM A PRIVATE SOUTHERN EUROPEAN COLLECTION
162
A RARE COPPER-RED-DECORATED 'DRAGON' VASE, MEIPING
YONGZHENG SIX-CHARACTER MARK IN UNDERGLAZE BLUE AND OF
THE PERIOD (1723-1735)
The vase is beautifully and skillfully potted with gently bulging shoulders rising
from a slender foot and ending on a short neck and slighty everted mouthrim. The
body is boldly painted with two five-clawed sinuous confronting dragons, amidst
vaporous clouds and all above a band of crashing waves around the foot.
13 3/4 in. (35 cm.) high
£80,000-120,000 US$110,000-150,000
€88,000-130,000
The succession of power from Emperor to Prince, from father to son, is
well-represented in Qing dynasty works of art and paintings. This visual
representation indicates the importance vested in the passing of knowledge
from father to son and in anticipating the transfer of the mandate of heaven. The
theme is most famously represented in the painting by Giuseppe Castiglione
(Lang Shining) known as Spring's Peaceful Message, in the Palace Museum
Collection, Beijing. It depicts the Yongzheng Emperor with Prince Hongli (the
future Qianlong Emperor). The young Prince is shown smaller than the Emperor,
bowing slightly, and looking respectfully up at his father as the two men exchange
a spray of prunus, while behind and to the side there are bamboo stems.
However, the subject also appears to have been represented in more subtle
allusions to the theme. A pair of cloisonné enamel double crane censers sold at
Christie's Hong Kong, 1 December 2010, for example, are thought to have been
commissioned by the Prince Hongli for his father, the Yongzheng Emperor. The
cranes are modelled standing next to one another, one larger than the other, the
smaller crane looking up at the larger one in respect or admiration, much in the
same way as in Castiglione's painting.
On the current meiping, the allusion is in the two dragons, one larger and one
smaller, that represents the passing of knowledge from father to son. The
sophisticated design and very successful firing of the copper-red indicates the
vase is likely to have been produced in the first quarter of the 18th century, thus
representing the Yongzheng Emperor passing knowledge to his son, the future
Emperor Qianlong.
No other meiping decorated with dragons from the Yongzheng reign appears
to be recorded, however, there are a number of vessels from the Qianlong reign
decorated with two dragons, one usually larger than the other. Examples include
a Qianlong-marked turquoise-ground baluster vase originally sold at Sotheby's
New York, 20-21 May 1987, lot 555. An ovoid vase from the Huaihaitang
Collection with the dragons depicted against a white background between
turquoise ground borders, was exhibited at the Chinese University of Hong
Kong, Ethereal Elegance - Porcelain Vases Of The Imperial Qing - The Huaihaitang
Collection, November 2007-March 2008 and illustrated in the catalogue, no.
123. Another example with dragons against a white ground between turquoise
borders from the collection of J. Lester Jervis, was sold at Bonhams Hong Kong,
28 November 2011, lot 457.

南歐私人珍藏
清雍正 雙龍雲紋梅瓶 雙圈六字楷書款

(mark)

In addition to the hammer price, a Buyer’s Premium (plus VAT) is payable. Other taxes
and/or an Artist Resale Royalty fee are also payable if the lot has a tax or λ symbol. Check
Section D of the Conditions of Sale at the back of this catalogue.