Page 200 - Christie's Important Chinese Art Nov 3 2020 London

THE PROPERTY OF A PRIVATE EUROPEAN LADY
173
A VERY RARE AND FINE FAMILLE ROSE 'CHICKEN' CUP
QIANLONG SIX-CHARACTER FANGGU SEAL MARK, WITH AN
INSCRIPTION DATED TO BINGSHEN YEAR, CORRESPONDING TO
1776, AND OF THE PERIOD
The finely potted cup is decorated to the exterior with a cockerel standing It is highly unusual to find beaker cups of this subject matter without the
on rocks observing a hen pecking on the ground between two chicks, all set dancing young boy, such as the example in the Sze Tak Tong Collection,
amongst rocks, peonies and bamboo. The reverse is inscribed with a long illustrated in Joined Colors: Decoration and Meaning in Chinese Porcelain,
peom followed by the Qianlong bing shen year, corresponding to 1776. The Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C., p. 138,
center of the interior is similarly decorated with a cockerel and hen within an no. 64. The Qianlong poem records well-known ceramics that were produced
iron-red bordered medallion. from as early of the Tang dynasty, and the ‘chicken cup’ of the Ming dynasty
3 3/8 in. (8.5 cm.) diam. was regarded as the very best throughout antiquity. For a translation of the
text, see op. cit., pp. 53-54; where the author points out that the rebus formed
£50,000-80,000 US$64,000-100,000
by the cockerel and peony flowers, gongming fugui, ‘A cockerel is crowing near
€55,000-87,000
peony flowers’, heralds the announcement of wealth and honour. Compare to
PROVENANCE: a cup of same decoration and size sold at Christie's Hong Kong, The Imperial
Acquired in the German market in the 1970s. Sale, Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, 29 April, 2002, lot 625.

歐洲私人珍藏
清乾隆 粉彩御題詩雞缸杯 「大清乾隆仿古」篆書款
來源:
於1970年代購自德國

(mark)

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198 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.