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PROPERTY OF A EUROPEAN GENTLEMANA Rare Kangxi ‘Chicken’ CupRosemary Scott, International Academic Director, Asian ArtAn aspect of his life that seems to have given the Kangxi emperor particular pleasure was his collection of antiques, the perusal of which appears to have had the effect of relaxing and refreshing him. The emperor himself noted: “I used to say to my sons: Seek joyfulness when you can, for seeking joy leads to an auspicious atmosphere. After meals we would talk about pleasant things and set our eyes on rare antiques, so we digested easily and our bodies flourished.” (Jonathan Spence, Emperor of China: Self-Portrait of K’ang-hsi, London, 1974, pp. 137-8). The Kangxi emperor’s interest in antiques influenced a significant number of the porcelains made during his reign, and some imperial porcelains of the Kangxi reign were made as direct copies of Xuande and Chenghua porcelains. In most cases these copies appear to have been made from drawings of the original 15th century porcelains. However, it seems likely that Ming dynasty items preserved in the Qing Palace collections may occasionally have been sent to the imperial kilns in order to be copied exactly. Usually the copies show discrepancies in the size of the vessel, the positioning of decorative elements, or the colour of the enamels - as might be expected if the potters were working from drawings. However, in the collection of Sir Percival David is a chicken cup bearing a Kangxi mark, which is so close to the Chenghua original, of which of the Percival David collection also has an example (illustrated by Rosemary Scott in Imperial Taste – Chinese Ceramics from the Percival David Foundation, Los Angeles and San Francisco, 1989, p. 75, no. 44, and p. 73, no. 42, respectively) that the Kangxi potters must surely have had a 15th century bowl from the palace collections in front of them as they worked.It is likely that the current cup was created in the latter part of the Kangxi reign, as it displays a developed style, which, while true to the spirit of the Chenghua original, includes refinements that would be taken up by the potters creating ‘chicken’ cups in the Yongzheng reign. The ceramic artist, or, more likely artists – one for the underglaze and one for the overglaze decoration - who painted the design on the current ‘chicken’ cup, have further refined the delicate painting style of the Chenghua cups, especially in relation to the rocks and flowers. However, it is in the depiction of the tail feathers of the male birds that the greatest refinement can be seen. Although the tails of the roosters on Chenghua 'chicken’ cups look black at a distance, close examination of the 15th century cups provides a reminder of a missing enamel colour within the Chenghua enamel palette - black enamel. On the Chenghua ‘chicken’ cups an approximation of black was created using underglaze blue covered with khaki-coloured enamel derived from iron. The craftsmen of this period encountered considerable difficulty in producing a black enamel that was glossy and that did not rub off too easily - a problem that was not completely solved until the 18th century. On the 'chicken’ cups of the Kangxi period, including the current vessel, the tails were painted in black enamel. However, without enhancement even this enamel was neither glossy nor very stable. It was therefore covered in a clear pale green enamel in order to prevent it being rubbed off, and in order to give it an appearance of depth and gloss. This multiple enamelling technique used very successfully on the current cup. Despite the cumbersome nature of the technique, the porcelain decorator of this ‘chicken’ cup has succeeded in creating tail feathers which have a lightness and movement, which was lacking from the Chenghua originals. This style of tail feathers was taken up on some of the later Yongzheng ‘chicken’ cups, when it was easier to produce using a new black enamel, which required no over-enamel.The subject of hen, rooster and chickens, depicted on this doucai cup, is one which has a long history in China, and provided inspiration for artists as early as the Song dynasty. The National Palace Museum has in its collection a painting of this subject dated to the Xuande reign (1426-35), which bears both the Xuande Emperor's seal and an inscription from his brush (illustrated by Ts'ai Ho-pi, 'Chenghua Porcelain in Historical Context', The Emperor's broken china - Reconstructing Chenghua porcelain, London, 1995, p. 22, fig. 2). Perhaps more importantly, the attitude of the Chenghua Emperor to this theme is made clear in the colophon written by him in AD 1486 on an anonymous Song dynasty painting of a hen and her chicks, which is also preserved in the collection of the National Palace Museum (illustrated ibid. p. 22, fig. 1). The Emperor praises the hen for guarding her chickens, responding to their cries, nourishing them, and defending them. It is likely that the nurturing aspect of this decorative scheme particularly appealed to the Chenghua Emperor, as it appears to have done to both the Kangxi and Yongzheng emperors, who possibly drew parallels between the care of the hen for her chicks and their own care for the welfare of their subjects throughout the Empire. On the Chenghua, Kangxi and Yongzheng 'chicken’ cups the birds are painted showing them as a family unit with the rooster and hen watching the chickens run around and peck at their food. The style in which the birds are depicted is lively and natural, while the relative proportions of the birds and the flowers, which also form part of the design, are intentionally altered. This manipulation of the relative sizes in fine ceramic decoration was noted by Chen Liu in the Tao ya, where the author says: ‘In painting flowers and birds on porcelain the birds should not be very big nor the flowers very small otherwise the unity of the picture is lost.’ (Chen Liu, Tao ya, 1910, translated by G.R. Sayer in T’ao ya (Pottery Refinements), 1959, p. 77.) The well-balanced design on the current ‘chicken’ cup bears out the wisdom of this observation.A Kangxi doucai ‘chicken’ cup of similar style to the current example, formerly in the collection of J. M. Hu, was sold by Christie’s Hong Kong on 28 November, 2005, lot 1334.
A RARE MING-STYLE DOUCAI 'CHICKEN' CUP
KANGXI SIX-CHARACTER MARK IN UNDERGLAZE BLUE AND OF THE PERIOD (1662-1722)
Details
A RARE MING-STYLE DOUCAI 'CHICKEN' CUP
KANGXI SIX-CHARACTER MARK IN UNDERGLAZE BLUE AND OF THE PERIOD (1662-1722)
The cup is finely potted in imitation of its Ming prototype with gently flared sides, and is well-rendered around the exterior in soft translucent enamels and underglaze-blue tones to depict two cockerel-and-hen groups, each group observing their chicks foraging for food. They are divided on one side by iron-red roses growing from ornamental rocks, and the other by bamboo and lily, all between underglaze-blue double lines at the rim and a single line above the footless base.
3. 3/8 in. (8.5 cm.) diam.
KANGXI SIX-CHARACTER MARK IN UNDERGLAZE BLUE AND OF THE PERIOD (1662-1722)
The cup is finely potted in imitation of its Ming prototype with gently flared sides, and is well-rendered around the exterior in soft translucent enamels and underglaze-blue tones to depict two cockerel-and-hen groups, each group observing their chicks foraging for food. They are divided on one side by iron-red roses growing from ornamental rocks, and the other by bamboo and lily, all between underglaze-blue double lines at the rim and a single line above the footless base.
3. 3/8 in. (8.5 cm.) diam.
Provenance
Acquired in Eastern Europe in the early 20th century and thence by descent to the current owner.
Sale room notice
Due to a printing error in the catalogue, this lot has been withdrawn
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