PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF ARTHUR AND SARA JO KOBACKER
A PAIR OF CHINESE FAMILLE-ROSE FIGURES OF ELEPHANTS, QING DYNASTY, QIANLONG PERIOD | 清乾隆 粉彩太平有象擺件一對
Auction Closed
January 26, 08:38 PM GMT
Estimate
3,000 - 5,000 USD
Lot Details
Description
A PAIR OF CHINESE FAMILLE-ROSE FIGURES OF ELEPHANTS
QING DYNASTY, QIANLONG PERIOD
清乾隆 粉彩太平有象擺件一對
each modeled natralistically standing foursquare with head facing forward, molded with light wrinkles throughout the body, wearing a cloth painted with cranes, bats and lotus on each side, the front of the simulated shagreen saddle raised, all surmounted by a pouch-form vase painted with chrysanthemum sprigs and tied with a yellow molded ribbon
length 7½ in.; 19 cm
Sotheby's London, November 17th, 1999, lot 989
The present examples are rare because they carry an unusual pouch-form vase, instead of the more common baluster or gu-form vases usually seen on other examples. The visual pun for elephant, xiang, and a vase on its back, ping, refers to taiping youxiang, meaning 'peaceful times'. Further discussion on this topic see Terese Tse Barthomomew, Hidden Meanings in Chinese Art, San Francisco, 2006, pp. 237-238.