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Lot Essay
Pairs of confronting butterflies appeared as a decorative motif on Chinese works of art from as early as the Tang dynasty on gold and silver wares and pottery pillows. In the Song dynasty they appeared on Yue and Ding ware pieces, but then seemed to have disappeared on porcelain pieces of the Yuan and Ming dynasties. They did not become popular until the 18th century, and the Yongzheng Emperor seemed to be especially fond of them. An example of these butterflies on a Yongzheng period porcelain can be seen on the famille rose bowl sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 30 April 2000, lot 588.
A closely related Qianlong-marked vase also painted with similar butterfly medallions and ruyi heads is illustrated by D. Macintosh, Chinese Blue and White Porcelain, 2nd edition, Hong Kong, 1987, p. 107, pl. 68, where the author comments on the masterful skills of the potters in painting the butterfly medallions with delicate shades of cobalt blue.
Compare also to a Yongzheng-marked hu-shaped vase with three moulded ram heads in the Qing Court Collection, illustrated in Blue and White Porcelain with Underglazed Red (III), The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Hong Kong, 2000, p. 106, pl. 92. The Palace Museum example features four registers of decoration divided by double raised ribs, comparable to the composition on the present lot.
A closely related Qianlong-marked vase also painted with similar butterfly medallions and ruyi heads is illustrated by D. Macintosh, Chinese Blue and White Porcelain, 2nd edition, Hong Kong, 1987, p. 107, pl. 68, where the author comments on the masterful skills of the potters in painting the butterfly medallions with delicate shades of cobalt blue.
Compare also to a Yongzheng-marked hu-shaped vase with three moulded ram heads in the Qing Court Collection, illustrated in Blue and White Porcelain with Underglazed Red (III), The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Hong Kong, 2000, p. 106, pl. 92. The Palace Museum example features four registers of decoration divided by double raised ribs, comparable to the composition on the present lot.