A SMALL BLUE AND WHITE VASE

EARLY KANGXI PERIOD, CIRCA 1670

Details

A SMALL BLUE AND WHITE VASE
EARLY KANGXI PERIOD, CIRCA 1670
The small high-shouldered vase, with slender neck and flaring mouth, is decorated with a scene from The Water Margin, depicting Huyan Zhuo and Wu Song combating each other with a sword and a whip. Each figure is accompanied by an identifying inscription, all between decorative bands and small flowers on the neck. The base bears an apocryphal Chenghua mark.
8 1/8 in. (20.5 cm.) high

Provenance

Anita Gray, London, 1996.
Collection of Julia and John Curtis.

Brought to you by

Margaret Gristina

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mgristina@christies.com 212 636 2180

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Lot Essay

Huyan Zhou, supposedly a descendant of general Huyan Zan, also served as a general in the imperial army of the Song and was renowned for his bravery and fighting skills. His favored weapons were a pair of metal clubs, and his nickname was ‘double clubs’. The other protagonist on this vase is Wu Song, who is described as handsome and had various nicknames including ‘the pilgrim’ and ‘tiger fighting hero’. He was believed to have been a student of archer Zhou Tong, and was also a master of several other martial arts, being particularly skilled in the use of the staff. For four small Shunzhi-period dishes in the Curtis collection that are decorated with characters from The Water Margin see lot 3556.

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