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Lot Essay
Celadon wares have always been held in high regard by connoisseurs in China. As early as the Tang dynasty, the renowned tea connoisseur Lu Yu declared that celadon ceramics, with their resemblance to jades, were best suited for tea drinking. The Qianlong Emperor, who showed a deep interest in Chinese classical art, displayed the same fondness for celadon wares. It was during his reign when celadon production reached a new peak in technical level, giving rise to a variety of thick, lustrous green glazes resembling jades, such as the lustrous glaze seen on this current vase.
The glaze colour on this vase is particularly superior, with a soft, sea-green tone and attractive jade-like sheen. The delicate carving of dragons on the vase makes it even more visually interesting, creating contrasts and variety of tones where the glaze pools in the recesses of the monochrome surface.
Only one other vase of the same design and shape appears to be recorded, making it possibly a pair to the current lot. It was sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 8 April 2007, lot 708, for HK$13,200,000. It is possible that only a single pair of vases of this pattern was produced, exclusively for the Qianlong Emperor’s pleasure and appreciation.
Celadon wares of supreme quality continue to enthrall and captivate collectors. A Qianlong celadon-glazed meiping, for example, superbly carved with three dragons, was recently sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 29 November 2022, lot 2994 for HK$ 81,060,000 (fig. 1). This current vase, applied with a glaze of unparalleled exquisiteness and elegance, is undoubtedly a masterpiece made to impress and delight.
The glaze colour on this vase is particularly superior, with a soft, sea-green tone and attractive jade-like sheen. The delicate carving of dragons on the vase makes it even more visually interesting, creating contrasts and variety of tones where the glaze pools in the recesses of the monochrome surface.
Only one other vase of the same design and shape appears to be recorded, making it possibly a pair to the current lot. It was sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 8 April 2007, lot 708, for HK$13,200,000. It is possible that only a single pair of vases of this pattern was produced, exclusively for the Qianlong Emperor’s pleasure and appreciation.
Celadon wares of supreme quality continue to enthrall and captivate collectors. A Qianlong celadon-glazed meiping, for example, superbly carved with three dragons, was recently sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 29 November 2022, lot 2994 for HK$ 81,060,000 (fig. 1). This current vase, applied with a glaze of unparalleled exquisiteness and elegance, is undoubtedly a masterpiece made to impress and delight.