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| 55 A pair of magnificent, large porcelain vases and covers Kangxi period Height: 31 1/2 and 32 in, 80 and 81.3 cm the oviform vessels have well-rounded sides rising from slightly recessed bases to waisted necks and terminating in thickened rims. The vessels are finely painted in shades of underglaze blue with four panels depicting ladies in various domestic settings, on terraces and in gardens, all with fine detail and showing tables, chairs, moon windows and screens. The attractive young women wear long, layered robes and their hair is drawn up into elegant chignons. The panels are separated by narrow vertical bands of flower scrolls, enclosed by chevron and floral borders at the shoulder, and a similar floral border at the foot, above upright leaves containing floral patterns. The necks are decorated with related floral bands. The domed covers have flange rims and are surmounted by bud knops. They are painted with bo gu (various antiques) above triangular geometric patterns with chevron borders to the flanges and lotus flowers to the knops. With Edwardian gilt-wood stands with scrolling legs, decorated with leaves, and paw feet.
Formerly in a French private collection. Such vases were often commissioned for important European collectors, such as the Elector of Saxony. One of a pair of seemingly identical vases, and possibly one of ours, is illustrated in du Boulay, Christie’s Pictorial History of Chinese Ceramics, fig. 7, p. 201. A closely related example is illustrated in Scheurleer, Chinese Export Porcelain: Chine de Commande, pl. 74, in the Princessehof at Leeuwarden; and for others, see Hinton and Impey, Kensington Palace and the Porcelain of Queen Mary II, fig. 20, p. 47. A large enamelled vase with similar decoration is illustrated in Bushell, Oriental Ceramic Art illustrated by examples from the collection of W. T. Walters, fig. 240. |
