Provenance
Vanderven Oriental art, 's Hertogenbosch.
The Mr. and Mrs. Baert-Devos Collection, Belgium. Acquired from the above on 23 November 1988 and accompanied by a copy of their valuation report. (see added scan)
Description
Finely and thinly potted, the ewer is modelled with a globular body moulded as a pomegranate, divided into six lobed vertical panels. It rises to a tall, slightly tapering neck terminating in a six-pointed star-shaped mouth rim. The long, slender spout curves gently upwards at the tip and is applied with seven naturalistically modelled leafy branches in relief, their curling stems extending onto the body.
The moulded panels are variously decorated with large blossoming flowers and leafy sprays, while a ribbon-tied ruyi-head motif appears beneath the spout. The shoulder is encircled by a narrow key-fret band framed by thin blue lines. The neck is painted with a bird perched on a rock beside flowering plants and grasses, similarly enclosed by double blue-line borders. The underside of the star-shaped mouth rim is decorated with pendent leaf motifs and edged in blue. The spout and applied relief branches are highlighted with finely pencilled blue lines. The slightly recessed base is fully glazed, with the rounded foot ring left unglazed.
This elegant and fragile pouring vessel belongs to a rare group of Kraak porcelain ewers produced during the Wanli period. Commonly referred to as ‘pomegranate ewers’, these vessels derive their modern name from the globular, lobed body and distinctive star-shaped mouth rim. In Chinese culture, the pomegranate (shiliu)—with its abundance of seeds—symbolises fertility, prosperity, and numerous descendants.
The form is exceptional within the Kraak repertoire. Unlike the more robust kendis, pear-shaped bottles, and double-gourd vessels of the period, these ewers are remarkably thinly potted and refined in execution. Their elongated spouts ultimately derive from earlier Ming dynasty ewers influenced by Middle Eastern metalwork prototypes, while the relief-moulded leafy branches and star-shaped mouth rim appear unique to this particular group.
Reference:
Christie's New York, 24 September 2021, lot 850 for a near-identical example. (sold USD 10.625) (link)
The Groninger Museum, The Netherlands, object no. 1960.0057.A for a near-identical example. (link)
Literature:
Jorge Welsh Books, 'Kraak Porcelain: The Rise of Global Trade in the Late 16th and Early 17th Centuries', pp. 176-179, no. 25 for a near-identical example and a further discussion.
Maura Rinaldi, 'Kraak Porcelain: A Moment in the History of Trade', pp. 177-179 for a discussion and pl. 225 for a near-identical example.
Lot 106
Wanli
H.: 16,7 cm
Estimation
€ 4.000,00 – € 8.000,00
Provenance
Vanderven Oriental art, 's Hertogenbosch.
The Mr. and Mrs. Baert-Devos Collection, Belgium. Acquired from the above on 23 November 1988 and accompanied by a copy of their valuation report. (see added scan)