A rare Ming-style blue and white yuhuchunping, Qing dynasty, Yongzheng period | 清雍正 青花花鳥圖玉壺春瓶

Sotheby's London, 16th June 1998, lot 249.

倫敦蘇富比1998年6月16日，編號249

The present vase showcases the fine reproduction of classic early Ming porcelain at the Qing imperial kiln during the reign of the Yongzheng Emperor (r. 1722-35). The intimate subject of birds on branches decorated on the body of this vase can be traced back to the Northern Song period; see, for example the paintings of the famous artist emperor Huizong (r. 1100-25), illustrated in Osvald Sirén, Chinese Painting, Leading Masters and Principles, London, 1956, pl. 235. But it was until the early 15th century, fine bird and flower painting was introduced into the underglaze blue decorated porcelains produced in the imperial kiln of Jingdezhen. During the Yongle period (r. 1402-24), pieces of blue-and-white porcelain in birds on branches design were produced in various forms, see a yuhuchun vase, a flask and a meiping, all from the Sir Percival David Collection in the British Museum, London, illustrated in Ming: 50 years that Changed China, British Museum, London, 2014, cat. no. 72. 

During the Yongzheng period, treasured antiquities from the imperial collection were sent to the imperial kilns at Jingdezhen for replication. Notably, blue-and-white pieces from the early Ming dynasty garnered special admiration. As documented by the renowned imperial kiln supervisor, Tang Ying (1682–1756), many Yongle and Xuande pieces were reproduced following the commission from the Emperor. This piece could very likely be one of the pieces inspired directly by a Yongle prototype from the imperial collection, as illustrated in op. cit., cat. no. 71. 

Qing imperial porcelains with comparable subjects in underglazed blue are very rare. Only one other example, bearing a Yongzheng mark and of the period, but with a different compositional arrangement of birds and branches, was sold in these rooms, 7th April 2015, lot 119. Compare also a flask with a similar design of flowers and birds in underglaze blue, with Yongzheng mark and of the period, from the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Gugong zhencang Kang Yong Qian ciqi tulu / Kangxi Yongzheng Qianlong. Qing Porcelain from the Palace Museum Collection, Beijing, 1989, pl. 2, p. 173.

雍正皇帝慕古好雅，當朝御窰摹燒明代早期經典瓷器，本品即為一例。瓶身綴花鳥圖題材，可溯至北宋時期，參考如宋徽宗（在位1100-25年）畫作，刊於 Osvald Sirén，《Chinese Painting, Leading Masters and Principles》，倫敦，1956年，圖版235。十五世紀初，始見景德鎮御窰繪花鳥紋於青花瓷。永樂朝，花鳥紋飾可見於多式器形，如大維德基金會藏一玉壺春瓶，一扁壺，及一件梅瓶，現存倫敦大英博物館，載於《Ming: 50 years that Changed China》，大英博物館，倫敦，2014年，編號71。

雍正時期，朝廷安排運送清宮珍藏至景德鎮御窰，以摹作新例，其中明初青花瓷猶得帝王傾心，檔案記載督陶官唐英（1682–1756年）曾受旨仿燒多件明代永樂、宣德名器，本品或以清宮永樂瓷為雛本，如前述出處，編號72。

類同題材之清代御窰青花瓷極罕，僅見另一雍窰作例，書雍正年款，構圖相異，2015年4月7日售於香港蘇富比，編號119。比較北京故宮博物院藏雍正青花扁壺，紋飾近類。錄於《故宮珍藏康雍乾瓷器圖錄》，北京，1989年，圖版2，頁173。