A Ru-type hexagonal jardinière, Seal mark and period of Qianlong

Offered at Sotheby's Hong Kong, April 1998, lot 764.

Christie's Hong Kong, 28th November 2018, lot 2964.

Brimming with sophistication in its concept and design, this jardinière is extremely rare for its subtle monochrome glaze. Created in imitation of Ru ware, the celebrated official ware of the Northern Song (960-1127) court, a Ru-type glaze as seen on the present piece reflects the Emperor’s penchant for early wares, which he not only collected but also commissioned the imperial kilns to recreate. 

Compare a related Qianlong guan-type jardinière of rectangular form from the collection of J. M. Hu, sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 9th October 2012, lot 106; a rectangular Yongzheng example from the Wang Xing Lou Collection, exhibited in Imperial Perfection: The Palace Porcelain of Three Chinese Emperors, Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis, 2004, cat. no. 67; and a Qianlong example of ru type – with rounded edges in the Southern Song style – preserved in the Palace Museum, Beijing and included in the exhibition Qing Porcelain of Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong Periods from the Palace Museum Collection, Hong Kong, 1989, cat. no. 128.