A SUPERB AND EXTREMELY RARE BLUE AND WHITE 'ELEPHANT' HANDLE VASE SEAL MARK AND PERIOD OF QIANLONG

THIS IS A PREMIUM LOT. CLIENTS WHO WISH TO BID ON PREMIUM LOTS ARE REQUESTED TO COMPLETE THE PREMIUM LOT PRE-REGISTRATION 3 WORKING DAYS PRIOR TO THE SALE.




superbly potted, the oval sectioned compressed bottle vase with a swelling belly rising to double-lobed shoulder at the base of a tall waisted neck and flaring mouth, flanked by a pair of crisply moulded elephant-head handles, the belly exquisitely painted in a washes of rich cobalt blue with a broad register containing four 'endless knots' suspending a chime and tassle, encircled on a ground of finely detailed lotus blooms borne on a foliate scroll vine, set on a slightly splayed foot skirted with bands of pendant plantain leaves, floral scrolls and ruyi heads, the shoulders similarly decorated below a two pairs of beribboned 'double-fish' charms suspending a bat and all below a beaded chain collaring the top of the neck, the underside inscribed with a six-character reign mark in underglaze blue

Formerly in a Japanese Collection.

The overall condition is very good with only a very minute burst glaze bubble near the eye of one of the elephants. A few of the faint glaze scratches are a lightly stained at the mouth and there are a couple of light glaze fissures beneath the glaze at the mouth. The companion piece is in the Wang Xing Lou Collection and included in the exhibition Imperial Perfection. The Palace Porcelain of Three Chinese Emperors, Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis, 2004, cat. no. 12. Please note that the online footnote for this lot is the most updated version. This is a revised version of the one printed in the catalogue.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The present piece is notable for the harmonious integration of traditional Chinese motifs with Western-influenced painting techniques on a highly unusual form, and is known only on its companion piece, in the Wang Xing Lou Collection, included in the exhibition Imperial Perfection. The Palace Porcelain of Three Chinese Emperors, Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis, 2004, cat. no. 12. The vase epitomises blue and white ware produced under the Qianlong emperor, who is known to have commissioned artists producing wares for the court to make pieces that were challenging and impressive, often placing more emphasis on the showier aspects of production and on the virtuosity of craftsmanship. Under his guidance the refinement of the material and craftsmanship allowed potters to become ambitious in their repertoire and thus create complex pieces that were innovative and unique.

The oval section, multiple convex bands and elephant handles of this vase takes its form from bronze vases and is a reflection of the high technical standard achieved by the potters working in the Imperial Kilns. Blue and white vases with elephant handles are rare, and are occasionally found adorning pieces enamelled in the famille-rose palette on a colour ground; see a Qianlong example, with reign mark and of the period, decorated with stylised lotus blossoms and the bajixiang in famille-rose enamels on a ruby-ground, sold in these rooms, 20^th May 1981, lot 873, and again, 19^th May 1982, lot 342. For a pear-shaped bronze vase with a similarly tall splayed foot and ringed elephant handles, with impressed Qianlong seal mark and of the period, see a pair sold in our London rooms, 5^th June 1981, lot 58.  

Coupled with its unusual form, a sense of exoticism is achieved in this piece through the distinctive bands of decoration.  Quintessentially Chinese in subject, the lotuses and curling fronds adorning the vase reflect the Western painting tradition which was made popular through Jesuit missionary painters working at court. The slight tonal gradation of the lotus petals and leaves suggest modelling to give the design a sense of luminosity and volume which was foreign to the Chinese court before the Qing period. Thus the effect created on this vase contrasts markedly with wares painted with stylised lotus scrolls in the 'heaping and piling' technique to simulate early-Ming blue and white porcelain, which was also popular at the time. For example, compare a large Qianlong vase of hu form, with a fifteenth-century style lotus scroll and bajixiang painted in the 'heaped and piled' style, illustrated in Chinese Porcelain. The S.C. Ko Tianminlou Collection, Part I, Hong Kong, 1987, pl. 58. Moreover, the carefully arranged and detailed decorative bands framing the central design create a sense of movement from the jewelled mouth to the stiff-leaves foot, through the use of darker hues and angles, while the twin fish on the neck harmoniously mirror the curves of the elephant-head handles. Thus, rather than detracting from the overall effect, these numerous elements and influences have been successfully combined to create a uniquely distinctive effect.

The bajixiang originated in India and were spread into China through the introduction of Tibetan Buddhism in the Yuan dynasty (1279-1368). Although they did not possess a specific order at first, by the Qianlong period they became codified in the following order: wheel, conch, canopy, parasol, lotus blossom, vase, twin fish, and endless knot. These symbols were believed to bring peace and blessings and adorned works of art, such as cloisonné, textiles and porcelain, as well as Buddhist implements. Compare a Daoguang blue and white version of the present vase, decorated with a more schematised bajixiang and lotus scroll motif on an ovoid form with ruyi-shaped handles, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Blue and White Porcelain with Underglazed Red III, Shanghai, 2000, pl. 151.