- 51A
A RARE PAIR OF GREEN-GROUND FAMILLE-ROSE BOTTLE VASES QIANLONG SEAL MARKS AND PERIOD
Description
- porcelain
Provenance
Thence by descent.
Condition
"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 familiar design of lotus scrolls have been injected with a hint of novelty through the inclusion of the bajixiang on a green ground, a colour that was developed in the Qianlong period and embodied contemporaneity. The leafy scrolls have been adapted to incorporate the rococo style of Western acanthus leaves, thus exuding a sense of elegant exoticism in the overall design while remaining firmly rooted in Chinese tradition.
Qianlong vases decorated with the bajixiang and floral patterns are known on vases of various shapes and colour grounds; compare a ruby-ground baluster vase with ruyi sceptre handles, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Porcelains with Cloisonné Enamel Decoration and Famille Rose Decoration, Hong Kong, 1999, pl. 127; a turquoise ground ovoid vase also with ruyi sceptre handles, from the Alfred Morrison collection and the Fonthill Heirlooms, sold at Christie’s London, 18th October 1971, lot 82, and again in our Hong Kong rooms, 7th October 2010, lot 2132, from the J.T. Tai collection; a yellow-ground bottle vase sold in our New York rooms, 21st November 1973, lot 558; and a pear-shape vase with a white ground, sold in these rooms, 20th June 2001, lot 29.