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Lot Essay
This type of vertical end-blown flute is called xiao.
The oldest Chinese flutes date back more than 8,000 years; these are the Jiahu flutes (Jiahu gudi / 贾湖骨笛), made of bone, which have been discovered since 1984 in several Jiahu culture tombs in Henan Province. Since then, numerous depictions have been found, testifying of the continuous use of such wind instruments in various contexts. For example, murals in Han dynasty tombs depict vertical flute players, such as the Dahuting Tomb Murals discovered in Xinmi, Henan Province, dating from the Eastern Han dynasty (25–220 CE). A Tang dynasty marble flute player is preserved at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (object no. 2006.156), while a painted terracotta flute player from the same period is housed at the Minneapolis Institute of Art (acc. no. 50.46.181). If looking specifically at vertical end-blown flute depictions, we can mention an Eastern Han dynasty pottery seated figure from the Chengdu Museum, or a small blue-and-white porcelain figure from the Song dynasty displayed at the Capital Museum in Beijing, both playing a vertical flute identifiable as a xiao.
Amongst several types of Chinese flutes, xiao are played vertically and end-blown. Originally made of bamboo, they were later made in several materials such as wood, jade, bronze or porcelain, such as the present lot. Making a porcelain flute that sounded perfectly was specifically difficult as the slightest distortion of the shape in the firing process could alter the clarity of sound. Several white-glazed xiao are known, an example is preserved and displayed in the Palace Museum in Beijing (no. gu00145002), another one in the British Museum (no. 1980,0728.637). Recently, a 17th century Dehua flute from the Collection of Dorothy Tapper Goldman was sold at Christie's New York, Important Chinese Art Including the Collection of Dorothy Tapper Goldman, 21-22 March 2024, lot 843.
The oldest Chinese flutes date back more than 8,000 years; these are the Jiahu flutes (Jiahu gudi / 贾湖骨笛), made of bone, which have been discovered since 1984 in several Jiahu culture tombs in Henan Province. Since then, numerous depictions have been found, testifying of the continuous use of such wind instruments in various contexts. For example, murals in Han dynasty tombs depict vertical flute players, such as the Dahuting Tomb Murals discovered in Xinmi, Henan Province, dating from the Eastern Han dynasty (25–220 CE). A Tang dynasty marble flute player is preserved at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (object no. 2006.156), while a painted terracotta flute player from the same period is housed at the Minneapolis Institute of Art (acc. no. 50.46.181). If looking specifically at vertical end-blown flute depictions, we can mention an Eastern Han dynasty pottery seated figure from the Chengdu Museum, or a small blue-and-white porcelain figure from the Song dynasty displayed at the Capital Museum in Beijing, both playing a vertical flute identifiable as a xiao.
Amongst several types of Chinese flutes, xiao are played vertically and end-blown. Originally made of bamboo, they were later made in several materials such as wood, jade, bronze or porcelain, such as the present lot. Making a porcelain flute that sounded perfectly was specifically difficult as the slightest distortion of the shape in the firing process could alter the clarity of sound. Several white-glazed xiao are known, an example is preserved and displayed in the Palace Museum in Beijing (no. gu00145002), another one in the British Museum (no. 1980,0728.637). Recently, a 17th century Dehua flute from the Collection of Dorothy Tapper Goldman was sold at Christie's New York, Important Chinese Art Including the Collection of Dorothy Tapper Goldman, 21-22 March 2024, lot 843.