- 331
A BLUE AND WHITE 'DRAGON' JARDINIÈRE JIAJING MARK AND PERIOD
Estimate
60,000 - 80,000 GBP
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Description
- porcelain
heavily potted with tapering sides rising to a lipped rim, the exterior painted with two dragons pacing amongst radiating cloud scrolls and flame wisps in pursuit of flaming pearls, the rim inscribed with a horizontal six-character Jiajing mark
Provenance
Rousseau-Léveillé, Paris (according to label).
Condition
The basin is in very good condition with the exception of some re-touching to fritting around the rim, minor glaze firing imperfections including iron-spots, glaze crazing and some glaze scratches.
"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."
"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."
Catalogue Note
The present jardinière is impressive for its large size and unusually animated design of two ferocious five-clawed scaly dragons amongst stylized clouds painted in deep cobalt blue. It belongs to a small group of Jiajing mark and period vessels of this type, all painted with dragons but with four different design backgrounds: dragons among clouds, water plants and lotus scroll decoration. Vessels of this large dimension were especially difficult to produce, as explained by R.L. Hobson in The Wares of the Ming Dynasty, London, 1923, p. 19 and p. 110, where the author notes that this type of jardinière needed up to nine days of firing and that Imperial potters were driven to despair, since many consistently failed to come out perfectly year after year.
For a similar dragon jardinière see one, from the J.M. Hu collection and now in the Shanghai Museum, illustrated in Lu Minghua, Mingdai guanyao ciqi, Shanghai, 2007, fig. 3-84, together with another Jiajing mark and period jardinière of this shape painted with Buddhist lions playing with brocade balls, fig. 3-85.Compare also a jardinière sold at Christie’s New York, 2nd December 1994, lot 380, and again at Christie’s Hong Kong, 21st September 2004, lot 242; and a third offered in our New York rooms, 17th September 1998, lot 216. Another slightly deeper example, in the Jingdezhen Ceramics Museum, is illustrated in Keitokuchin jiki, Jingdezhen, 1982, p. 44.
Compare a jardinière painted with dragons amongst scrolling lotus, from the Palmer Museum of Art, The Pennsylvania State University, Philadelphia, sold in our New York rooms, 23rd March 2004, lot 640; and an example with the dragons amongst water plants, also sold in our New York rooms, 16th September 2009, lot 188.
Jiajing jardinières can also be found painted with winged dragons pursuing flaming pearls above waves and rocks; for example, see one included in the exhibition Chinese Ceramics, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 1965, cat. no. 29; and another sold in these rooms, 31st May 1989, lot 82.
For a similar dragon jardinière see one, from the J.M. Hu collection and now in the Shanghai Museum, illustrated in Lu Minghua, Mingdai guanyao ciqi, Shanghai, 2007, fig. 3-84, together with another Jiajing mark and period jardinière of this shape painted with Buddhist lions playing with brocade balls, fig. 3-85.Compare also a jardinière sold at Christie’s New York, 2nd December 1994, lot 380, and again at Christie’s Hong Kong, 21st September 2004, lot 242; and a third offered in our New York rooms, 17th September 1998, lot 216. Another slightly deeper example, in the Jingdezhen Ceramics Museum, is illustrated in Keitokuchin jiki, Jingdezhen, 1982, p. 44.
Compare a jardinière painted with dragons amongst scrolling lotus, from the Palmer Museum of Art, The Pennsylvania State University, Philadelphia, sold in our New York rooms, 23rd March 2004, lot 640; and an example with the dragons amongst water plants, also sold in our New York rooms, 16th September 2009, lot 188.
Jiajing jardinières can also be found painted with winged dragons pursuing flaming pearls above waves and rocks; for example, see one included in the exhibition Chinese Ceramics, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 1965, cat. no. 29; and another sold in these rooms, 31st May 1989, lot 82.