A blue and white gu shaped vase, Qing dynasty, Kangxi (1662-1722).
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Composed of three sections, rising from a flared, slightly tapering base to a more rounded mid-section and again to a wide-open mouth. The decoration varies within each section of the vase. On the lower section the scene is of a maiden with two attendants, whilst the mid-section displays two cartouches decorated with birds amongst foliage. The neck is decorated with a court scene of a nobleman amongst attendants. Height 44 cm.
Restored cracks.
Provenance
Purchased at Guest & Gray 2006.
The Avalon Collection Part II.
This collection, which in the main focuses on the Interregnum and Kangxi periods has been both carefully and sensitively formed over the last twenty-five years. The collector, a member of the English Oriental Ceramic Society, has assembled the collection with an eye for provenance whilst purchasing from old European collections, well-established antique dealers and at auction.
Academically, the pieces have been well researched both in terms of their symbolism and narrative themes. In many instances the imagery on the pieces has been referenced to episodes in the romantic and historic novels of Chinese mythology, which were used extensively in the decoration of seventeenth century Chinese porcelain.
Literature
For a pair of vases of similar shape and size, see Sotheby’s New York, “ Inspired: Chinese Art from the Collection of Gerson & Judith Leiber”, 20 March 2018, Lot 422.
More information
The shape of the vessel is based on an archaic bronze vessel known as the Gu, which was originally used to offer sacrificial wine to one’s ancestors during the Zhang and Western Zhou periods.