Lot Essay
The decoration of this hu is based on late Western Zhou bronze prototypes, such as the one illustrated in Chinese Bronzes from the Buckingham Collection, The Art Institute of Chicago, 1946, pl. XXXIV
A very similar vase, also with Qianlong mark, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art is illustrated by S. Valenstein, A Handbook of Chinese Ceramics, New York, 1989, fig. 268. This design was also executed in regular porcelain such as the example covered with what is described as a pale lavender glaze included in the International Exhibition of Chinese Art, Royal Academy, London, 1935-6, Catalogue no. 228, illus., and the celadon-glazed vase included in the Exhibition of Important Chinese Ceramics from the Robert Chang Collection, Christie's, London, 1993, Catalogue no. 72
A very similar vase, also with Qianlong mark, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art is illustrated by S. Valenstein, A Handbook of Chinese Ceramics, New York, 1989, fig. 268. This design was also executed in regular porcelain such as the example covered with what is described as a pale lavender glaze included in the International Exhibition of Chinese Art, Royal Academy, London, 1935-6, Catalogue no. 228, illus., and the celadon-glazed vase included in the Exhibition of Important Chinese Ceramics from the Robert Chang Collection, Christie's, London, 1993, Catalogue no. 72