拍品專文
No other example of this shape and decoration appear to be recorded, but several related examples have been published
A similarly shaped flask, described as a holy water jar and measuring 27 cm. high, was recently excavated from the Yongle period strata at Zhushan, cf. Ceramic Finds from Jingdezhen, Feng Ping Shou Museum, Hong Kong, 1992, fig. 20. With the present example, it shares the tall knopped neck rising from a flanged shoulder surmounting a broadly tapering body resting on a splayed foot, but it is not lobed and is green-glazed
A comparable example dated Xuande with a double-waisted knopped neck, broadly tapering body and splayed foot, painted around the body with flower-sprays and petal bands, is illustrated in Zhongguo Taoci Quanji, The Great Treasury of Chinese Ceramics, vol. 19, Jingdezhen Minjian Qinghua Ciqi, Jingdezhen Folk Blue and White Porcelain, 1983, fig.12
A fragment of a neck with a central flange comparable to the present example, and probably with a similarly shaped body, painted in underglaze-blue with chrysanthemums, leaf bands and key-pattern, was excavated from the Yuan remains at Luomaqiao, cf. Ceramic Finds at Jingdezhen, fig. 150
See also the example enamelled in green with a peony scroll between lappets, sold in our New York Rooms, 27 November 1991, lot 338
The decoration of the flask is remarkable in several ways. The floral meander employs a distinctive type of flower-head design with segregated stylised petals as though seen in profile, not commonly found in the period, but occuring in Yuan and early Ming Ceramics, variously described as lotus, passion and peony. A very similar version of this type of flower-head on a Yuan Dynasty yuhchunping from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is illustrated in Mayuyama, Seventy Years, vol. I, fig. 702. Other Yuan examples are illustrated Toji Taikei, Hobonsha Series, vol. 41, figs. 5-9. Examples on Xuande pieces are illustrated in Blue and White Ware of the Ming Dynasty, book I, pl. 17, on a tianqiuping and idem (part I), pl. 3, also on a tianqinping. The trefoil leaves on the present example appear to be unique, but the stylised curling leaves around the neck are frequently found in conjunction with lotus and peony flowers. The use of double lines for flower stems is a rare and early occurance. A bowl with similar stems is illustrated in Blue and White Ware from the Mrs Alfred Clark Collection, fig. 21 and on a vase illustrated in Blue and White Ware of the Ming Dynasty, book two, part 1, pl. 4. They are also employed for the border motif around the lower neck of a large vase illustrated in Mayuyama, Seventy Years, vol. I , fig. 768. The waves around the rim are realted to those frequently found around the everted rims of dishes from the Yongle and Xuande periods, cf. Mayuyama, Seven Years, vol. I, figs. 751-756. The chain-link bands around the shoulder and foot are closely related to those often found surrounding the central motif on one side of bianhu from the Yongle and Xuande periods, cf. Mayuyama, Seventy Years, vol. I, figs. 744 and 745, and more occasionally on bowls. Compare also the vase with a similar splayed and bi foot illustrated in Blue and White Ware of the Ming Dynasty, book II (part one), pl. 5
The origin of the form with a tall neck with central knop for a secure grip and a splayed foot below a narrowing base is probably derived from kendi, well known from Northern white wares of the Tang period. Examples without spouts are also found in Northern Celadons of the Song period, cf. Gompertz, Chinese Celadon Wares, fig. 48A. Compare also the Yuan dynasty blue and white example with lobed body and similarly knopped neck, illustrated in Toji Taikei, Hobonsha Series, Vol. 41, fig. 68
The distinctive shape of the present flask appears to have become a popular subject for archaism. For a very remarkable copy of the present example with precisely the same shape and decoration, only 4mm. shorter but with a Wanli six-character mark in a line within the foot and of the period, cf. Mayuyama, Seventy Years, vol. I, fig. 957. An 18th Century version of this shape with a more pronounced base and enamelled in iron-red was sold in London, , lot . Another, from the Hongxian period is illustrated by Avitabile in From the Dragon's Treasure, p. 127, fig. 176. Cf. also, the example held in the arms of Figure of a European, from the Qianlong period, sold in Hong Kong, May 1989, lot 331. Cf. also a vase of this shape is included in a picture by Giuseppe Castiglione of Qianlong seated beside his favourite ceramics. Another is displayed on shelves in the study of Fresh Fragrance, illustrated in The Daily Life of the Forbidden City, fig. 224
A similarly shaped flask, described as a holy water jar and measuring 27 cm. high, was recently excavated from the Yongle period strata at Zhushan, cf. Ceramic Finds from Jingdezhen, Feng Ping Shou Museum, Hong Kong, 1992, fig. 20. With the present example, it shares the tall knopped neck rising from a flanged shoulder surmounting a broadly tapering body resting on a splayed foot, but it is not lobed and is green-glazed
A comparable example dated Xuande with a double-waisted knopped neck, broadly tapering body and splayed foot, painted around the body with flower-sprays and petal bands, is illustrated in Zhongguo Taoci Quanji, The Great Treasury of Chinese Ceramics, vol. 19, Jingdezhen Minjian Qinghua Ciqi, Jingdezhen Folk Blue and White Porcelain, 1983, fig.12
A fragment of a neck with a central flange comparable to the present example, and probably with a similarly shaped body, painted in underglaze-blue with chrysanthemums, leaf bands and key-pattern, was excavated from the Yuan remains at Luomaqiao, cf. Ceramic Finds at Jingdezhen, fig. 150
See also the example enamelled in green with a peony scroll between lappets, sold in our New York Rooms, 27 November 1991, lot 338
The decoration of the flask is remarkable in several ways. The floral meander employs a distinctive type of flower-head design with segregated stylised petals as though seen in profile, not commonly found in the period, but occuring in Yuan and early Ming Ceramics, variously described as lotus, passion and peony. A very similar version of this type of flower-head on a Yuan Dynasty yuhchunping from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is illustrated in Mayuyama, Seventy Years, vol. I, fig. 702. Other Yuan examples are illustrated Toji Taikei, Hobonsha Series, vol. 41, figs. 5-9. Examples on Xuande pieces are illustrated in Blue and White Ware of the Ming Dynasty, book I, pl. 17, on a tianqiuping and idem (part I), pl. 3, also on a tianqinping. The trefoil leaves on the present example appear to be unique, but the stylised curling leaves around the neck are frequently found in conjunction with lotus and peony flowers. The use of double lines for flower stems is a rare and early occurance. A bowl with similar stems is illustrated in Blue and White Ware from the Mrs Alfred Clark Collection, fig. 21 and on a vase illustrated in Blue and White Ware of the Ming Dynasty, book two, part 1, pl. 4. They are also employed for the border motif around the lower neck of a large vase illustrated in Mayuyama, Seventy Years, vol. I , fig. 768. The waves around the rim are realted to those frequently found around the everted rims of dishes from the Yongle and Xuande periods, cf. Mayuyama, Seven Years, vol. I, figs. 751-756. The chain-link bands around the shoulder and foot are closely related to those often found surrounding the central motif on one side of bianhu from the Yongle and Xuande periods, cf. Mayuyama, Seventy Years, vol. I, figs. 744 and 745, and more occasionally on bowls. Compare also the vase with a similar splayed and bi foot illustrated in Blue and White Ware of the Ming Dynasty, book II (part one), pl. 5
The origin of the form with a tall neck with central knop for a secure grip and a splayed foot below a narrowing base is probably derived from kendi, well known from Northern white wares of the Tang period. Examples without spouts are also found in Northern Celadons of the Song period, cf. Gompertz, Chinese Celadon Wares, fig. 48A. Compare also the Yuan dynasty blue and white example with lobed body and similarly knopped neck, illustrated in Toji Taikei, Hobonsha Series, Vol. 41, fig. 68
The distinctive shape of the present flask appears to have become a popular subject for archaism. For a very remarkable copy of the present example with precisely the same shape and decoration, only 4mm. shorter but with a Wanli six-character mark in a line within the foot and of the period, cf. Mayuyama, Seventy Years, vol. I, fig. 957. An 18th Century version of this shape with a more pronounced base and enamelled in iron-red was sold in London, , lot . Another, from the Hongxian period is illustrated by Avitabile in From the Dragon's Treasure, p. 127, fig. 176. Cf. also, the example held in the arms of Figure of a European, from the Qianlong period, sold in Hong Kong, May 1989, lot 331. Cf. also a vase of this shape is included in a picture by Giuseppe Castiglione of Qianlong seated beside his favourite ceramics. Another is displayed on shelves in the study of Fresh Fragrance, illustrated in The Daily Life of the Forbidden City, fig. 224