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Lot Essay
The Jiajing Emperor’s reign was marked by his obsession for Daoism and the quest for immortality, which influenced many aspects of his rule, from court policies to the visual and decorative arts. His devotion resulted in important investments to build Daoist temples and furnish them, as well as in a proliferation of Daoist imagery (from symbols to Immortals) in every aspect of the artistic and craft productions, including ceramics. Huge numbers of porcelains were indeed commissioned for the Emperor, Imperial court, and for Daoist ceremonies held within the Imperial Palaces.
The present vase is an eloquent testimony of this production, as this rare blue and white small vase depicts the four 'Disheveled Immortals' Li Tieguai, Liu Hai, Hanshan and Shide amidst a landscape. Another example also dated from the Jiajing period, which was sold at Sotheby's New York, 16 September 2009, lot 189, then at Poly Auction, Beijing, 6 December 2011, lot 4938 and Poly Auction, Beijing, 28 July 2022, lot 5623, is of similar shape and presents the same decoration.
The present vase is an eloquent testimony of this production, as this rare blue and white small vase depicts the four 'Disheveled Immortals' Li Tieguai, Liu Hai, Hanshan and Shide amidst a landscape. Another example also dated from the Jiajing period, which was sold at Sotheby's New York, 16 September 2009, lot 189, then at Poly Auction, Beijing, 6 December 2011, lot 4938 and Poly Auction, Beijing, 28 July 2022, lot 5623, is of similar shape and presents the same decoration.