A large famille rose vase, Qing dynasty, circa 1800.
For condition report contact specialist
The body rising from a splayed foot to a waisted neck and finely painted in bright enamels, the exterior finely painted with a continuous landscape scene of deer decorated in white, beige and brown enamels engaging in various activities, including grazing and prancing in open fields, lying down, all set in a lush mountainscape with pine trees and lingzhi fungus. Height 67 cm.
Firingcrack around footrim. Firingflaws.
Provenance
From the collection of K Johansson, Stockholm, thence by descent.
Literature
The current lot is richly decorated with the auspicious 'hundred deer' motif. The word 'deer' translates as lu and the peaches represent longevity or shou; together they form the auspicious pun lushou which literally means 'fortune and longevity'. Furthermore, the large bulbous vessel with wide waist suggests generosity and abundance of wealth; the precious lingzhi within the scenery, which has medicinal properties, also represents long life.