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Lot Essay
The form of the present vase is inspired by archaic bronze prototypes, such as a Zhou dynasty bronze hu with a similar cross design enclosing a diamond-shaped centre and similar mask handles, illustrated in the Xiqing Gujian (Catalogue of Chinese ritual bronzes in the collecion of the Qianlong emperor), first published in 1793, in vol. 19 page 22 (fig. 1). Although other archaistic hu vases from the Qianlong period of this shape are known, it appears this is the only recorded underglaze blue decorated hu vase with this specific design.
The closest example is a Qianlong-marked blue and white hu of identical form and similar size and design, but with added floral designs within the four cartouches around the cross, in the Palace Museum Collection (fig. 2), illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Blue and White Porcelain with Underglaze Red, III, Hong Kong, 2000, no. 138.
A teadust-glazed hu vase of similar shape, archaistic design and applied with very similar dragon handles from the Qianlong period was sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 29 April 2002, lot 666. Another large guan-type archaistic hu vase with strips and bosses decoration from the Yongzheng period was sold at Christie’s London, 7 November 2017, lot 269.
Other related vases with various different glazes are known, including a Qianlong period guan-type vase, illustrated by Regina Krahl in Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, London, 1994, vol. II, no. 873. Yongzheng period examples include a teadust-glazed vase, also in the collection of the Beijing Palace Museum, illustrated in Kangxi, Yongzheng, Qianlong: Qing Porcelain from the Palace Museum Collection, Hong Kong, 1989, p. 298, pl. 127.
The closest example is a Qianlong-marked blue and white hu of identical form and similar size and design, but with added floral designs within the four cartouches around the cross, in the Palace Museum Collection (fig. 2), illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Blue and White Porcelain with Underglaze Red, III, Hong Kong, 2000, no. 138.
A teadust-glazed hu vase of similar shape, archaistic design and applied with very similar dragon handles from the Qianlong period was sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 29 April 2002, lot 666. Another large guan-type archaistic hu vase with strips and bosses decoration from the Yongzheng period was sold at Christie’s London, 7 November 2017, lot 269.
Other related vases with various different glazes are known, including a Qianlong period guan-type vase, illustrated by Regina Krahl in Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, London, 1994, vol. II, no. 873. Yongzheng period examples include a teadust-glazed vase, also in the collection of the Beijing Palace Museum, illustrated in Kangxi, Yongzheng, Qianlong: Qing Porcelain from the Palace Museum Collection, Hong Kong, 1989, p. 298, pl. 127.