Provenance
Sotheby & Co. London, 2 March 1971, lot 164.
S. Marchant & Son, London, with their label to the base.
The Mr. and Mrs. Baert-Devos Collection, Belgium. Acquired from the above on 8 October 2004 and accompanied by a copy of their original invoice. (see added scans)
Exhibited & illustrated:
S. Marchant & Son, London, included in their June 1998 exhibition of 'Two Hundred Years' and illustrated in the accompanying catalogue, p. 19, no. 8.
S. Marchant & Son, London, included in their November 2004 exhibition of 'Ming Blue and White: Jiajing - Chongzhen Including Datex Examples' and illustrated in the accompanying catalogue, pp. 2-3, no. 2.
Description
The finely potted flowerpot of octofoil-lobed form, the gently fluted body painted in rich cobalt-blue with six vertical panels, each enclosing a pair of cranes in flight amidst flaming lingzhi sprays, alternating with two narrower panels centred by the character shou (longevity) beneath a crane. The everted petal-shaped rim encircled by eight stylised ruyi-head motifs, the base pierced with an original central drainage hole and inscribed with a six-character Jiajing reign mark arranged in two columns on either side of the aperture.
The decorative programme reflects the Daoist interests of the Jiajing Emperor, whose reign saw the widespread use of auspicious imagery associated with longevity and immortality. Cranes, regarded as the mounts of immortals, are paired with lingzhi fungus and the character shou, creating a visual rebus expressing wishes for long life and transcendence. The elegant fluted form and unusual arrangement of the reign mark around the drainage hole are characteristic of imperial flowerpots produced for palace horticultural displays during the Jiajing period.
Reference:
Identical examples were sold by Sotheby's London, 6 July 1976, 'Catalogue of Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art', lot 157 and Christie's Hong Kong, 29 April 2008 (link). A related 'Dragon' jardinière with identical mark in the Qing Court Collection, see 'Blue and White Porcelain with Underglazed Red (II), The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum', p. 122, no. 112. Another 'Dragon' jardinière was sold with Sotheby Parke Bernet, 'The Edward T. Chow Collection, Part One: Ming and Qing Porcelain', Hong Kong, 25 November 1980, lot 16. Another wucai 'Dragon' jardinière was included in the 1936 Tokyo National Museum exhibition of 'Chinese Arts of the Ming and Ch'ing Periods', no. 335.
Lot 27
Jiajing mark and of the period
Dia.: 17,1 cm - H.: 13,6 cm
Estimation
€ 20.000,00 – € 40.000,00
Provenance
Sotheby & Co. London, 2 March 1971, lot 164.
S. Marchant & Son, London, with their label to the base.
The Mr. and Mrs. Baert-Devos Collection, Belgium. Acquired from the above on 8 October 2004 and accompanied by a copy of their original invoice. (see added scans)
Exhibited & illustrated:
S. Marchant & Son, London, included in their June 1998 exhibition of 'Two Hundred Years' and illustrated in the accompanying catalogue, p. 19, no. 8.
S. Marchant & Son, London, included in their November 2004 exhibition of 'Ming Blue and White: Jiajing - Chongzhen Including Datex Examples' and illustrated in the accompanying catalogue, pp. 2-3, no. 2.