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1026
1285521

A blue and white transitional vase, 17th Century.

Estimate
10 000 - 15 000 SEK
883 - 1 330 EUR
911 - 1 370 USD
Hammer price
30 000 SEK
Purchasing info
For condition report contact specialist
Cecilia Nordström
Stockholm
Cecilia Nordström
Senior specialist Asian Ceramics and Works of Art, European Ceramics and Glass
+46 (0)739 40 08 02
A blue and white transitional vase, 17th Century.

Balustershape, decorated with a fierce qilin in a garden with bananplants. Height 30 cm.

Cracks, firingspots.

Exhibitions

A Qilin (Kylin) is a mythical hooved Chinese chimerical creature. Despite its fierce demeanour it is a good omen that brings Rui (roughly translated as serenity or prosperity), longevity, illustrious offspring and wise administration. The scaly body has a dragons head, hooves and can appear to have fire issuing from its body. The male Qilin is called a Qi and the female a Lin. The male often has horns. These creatures carefully tread to avoid all living insects or destroy grass under foot, it is reputed to be able to walk on water as well as land. Qilin only appear to mankind when an emperor of the highest benevolence sits on the throne or when a sage is about to be born. There is a strong argument that the Qilin is a stylised representation of the giraffe. This is because the Qilin is referred to only since the Ming Dynasty. The time of its first reference correspond roughly with the voyages of Zheng He, there were seven voyages between 1405 and 1433 (Zheng He lived c.1371–1435). It is known that on Zheng He`s voyage to East Africa (landing, among other places, in modern-day Kenya), the fleet brought back two giraffes to Beijing. It is also known that these two giraffes were referred to as Qilins. The Emperor proclaimed the giraffes magical creatures, whose capture signalled the greatness of his power.

Literature

A Qilin is the symbol for happiness but will also bring many sons to a family who will in turn become eminent scholars. the Qilin is seen as the guardian of justice and is only seen in the reign of an emperor if he is wise and just.