A RARE AND FINELY CARVED SPINACH-GREEN JADE ARCHAISTIC VESSEL AND COVER, TULU

Details

A RARE AND FINELY CARVED SPINACH-GREEN JADE ARCHAISTIC VESSEL AND COVER, TULU
QIANLONG PERIOD (1736-1795)

Carved in the form of an archaic bronze colour container, tulu, the thin rectangular body with columnar corners rising from four compressed feet, the chi dragon handles suspending loose rings, the rectangular sides carved in shallow relief with a band of interlaced kui dragons, the lower part of the body is decorated with shou (longevity) characters, each enclosed by archaistic scrolls, the cover surmounted by an openwork coiled dragon supported by four smaller chilong, the well hollowed stone of a rich mottled spinach-green tone
6½ in. (16.5 cm.) wide, stand

Provenance

Spink & Son Ltd, London, circa 1990

Literature

Robert Kleiner, Chinese Jades from the Collection of Alan and Simone Hartman, Hong Kong, 1996, no.74

Exhibited

Christie's New York, March 13-26, 2001
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, August 2003 - December 2004

Lot Essay

This very distinctively shaped vessel carved in imitation of an archaic bronze form, was used to hold artist's materials. Coloured pigments were kept in the tubular compartments at each corner subdivided by wooden splats, while the central compartment held a saucer and water for mixing the colours.

Similar examples in the Palace Museum, Beijing are illustrated in Zhongguo Yuqi Quanji, 6, Hebei Meishu Chupanshe, 1991, pls. 89 & 90.

Compare a jadeite vessel of similar form bearing a yuzhi mark sold at Chrisitie's Hong Kong, 28 April, 1996, lot 12; and another from the T.Y.Chao Collection sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 24-25 October 1993, lot 1014.

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