A RARE PALE GREEN AND AMBER-GLAZED CANDLESTICK

LATE SUI/TANG DYNASTY, LATE 6TH/EARLY 7TH CENTURY

细节

A RARE PALE GREEN AND AMBER-GLAZED CANDLESTICK
Late Sui/Tang Dynasty, Late 6th/Early 7th Century
With attractive use of contrasting colors, the spreading foot green-glazed, the lower basin amber; two coiling dragons one green, one amber, wrapped around the central section, each with one leg raised to support the alternating green and amber glazed lotus-petal pan, glazed green to the interior, a cylindrical candleholder in amber rising to the center
7.7/8in. (20cm.) high

拍品专文

See William Watson, Tang and Liao Ceramics, Fribourg, 1984, p. 46, pl. 26 for a 7th century white-glazed example from the Cleveland Museum of Art, with lotus petals to the base rather than the upper pan of our example. The author notes that "in censers the convention of entwined dragons was well-established, a Chinese contribution to Buddhist iconography. Elaborate modeling suggests the Hebei rather than the Henan tradition."

See the Tsui Museum of Art, Chinese Ceramics I, Hong Kong, 1993, Catalogue, no. 84, for a very similar green-glazed example with a cover suggesting use as a censer; and also illustrated by Seiichi Mizuno, Tousansai, (Tang Sancai), Heibonsha, Japan, 1977, p. 94, figs. 11 and 12; another under a white glaze is illustrated in the Charles B. Hoyt Collection, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, 1964, Catalogue, vol. 1, no. 63.

See also the very similar example illustrated in the Kaikodo Journal, V, Hong Kong, 1997, p. 206, no. 62, where the authors discuss the use of candles among the Tang nobility.

A more simple example was illustrated in The Arts of the Tang Dynasty, Los Angeles County Museum, Catalogue, 1957, no. 225. For another with central supporting male figure replacing the coiled dragons, see Sotheby's, London, July 6, 1976, lot 78.

The result of Oxford Authentication Ltd. thermoluminescence test no. C298c54 is consistent with the dating of this lot.