A gold-splashed bronze handled vase, Qing dynasty, 17th century

Behrens Collection (according to label).

The origins of gilt-splashed decoration on bronzes remain a subject of scholarly speculation. Gerard Tsang and Hugh Moss, in Arts from the Scholar’s Studio, Hong Kong, 1986, p. 184, suggest that the popularity of this decorative technique may have been inspired by the patina found on Ming dynasty Xuande bronzes, where the appearance of gilded splashes resulted from uneven surface oxidation.

Some scholars have drawn connections between this gilding style and the aesthetics of qingbai and Longquan wares from the Song, Yuan, and Ming dynasties. Robert Mowry, in China’s Renaissance in Bronze, Phoenix, 1993, p. 169, notes the introduction of fine papers adorned with flecks of gold and silver in the early 15th century. He proposes that such papers may have influenced the development of abstract gilded decoration on bronzes, either by directly inspiring artisans or by shaping contemporary tastes for objects adorned with metallic embellishments.

See two related handled vases, both slightly smaller and without the loose rings, sold in our London rooms, 17th October 1978, lot 128, and 11th December 1990, lot 44.