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Each month we feature a Chinese Work of Art that exhibits singularly outstanding historical and aesthetic characteristics and qualities.
This month we have selected a ENAMELED PORCELAIN "HUNDRED DEER VASE", Famille Rose Hu Qing Dynasty, Qianlong Mark and Period (1736 - 1795) Height: 17 1/2 inches (44.5 cm.) Width: 15 1/4 inches (28.7 cm.) |
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The amply proportioned vase of lotus bud shape stands on a splayed foot. The
swollen bellied body tapers upwards narrowing towards the short vertical
neck ending in a slightly flaring mouth. A herd of deer, enameled in various
shades of brown and white, some with spots and all with fine hair markings
and yellow enamel eyes rest, frolic, run, play and graze in a landscape
including soaring mountains forested by pine, cypress and peach trees,
colored in tones of green, blue, and brown. Hidden behind the rocks and
trees are white flowers, pink enameled peaches and lingzhi fungus. The
shoulder is flanked by a pair of stylized dragon handles in coral tones of
iron red with gilt highlights. The base has an underglaze blue six
character Qianlong seal mark.
Vases of this type are extremely rare. Most "Hundred Deer" vases are decorated in a "mirror image" with the largest mountains on the right. A very similar vase having the largest mountains on the left and with coral toned iron red handles with gilt highlights was sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, Catalogue of Important Chinese Ceramics, Jades and Works of Art, November 14th, 1983, Lot 195, where it is noted that "it is more rare to find a vase of this pattern with the tallest trees and rocks on the left, the mirror image of the usual design.evidently intended to form a pair." A vase exhibiting nearly exact characteristics, although the reverse decoration or mirror image of the present example, from the Qianlong period in the Shanghai Museum is illustrated by Liu Liang-yu, Ch'ing Official and Popular Wares: A Survey of Chinese Ceramics Volume 5, Aries Gemini Publishing Ltd, Taipei, Taiwan, page 199. The similarly shaped vase with handles of coral tone is painted with deer, trees and rocks in a very similar manner. A more stoutly potted vase of a later date, Daoguang mark and period, in the Capital Museum, Beijing, also illustrated by Liu Liang-yu, on page 225, exhibits a darker toned palette elaborating more on brown colors, and portraying the deer, trees and rocks in a slightly different rendition but with similar dragon shaped handles. Another rare example from the Qianlong period with gilt blue glazed handles, illustrated by John Ayers and Masahiko Sato, Ceramic Art of the World - Ch' ing Dynasty, Volume 15 Shogakukan, Tokyo, Japan, figure 225, page 181, has a more swollen shape with a seemingly shorter neck, and nearly identical imagery in predominately blue tones. Other examples of "Hundred Deer" vases, all of reverse or mirror image to the present example were presented at auction: Sotheby's Hong Kong, Catalogue of Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, November 28th, 1978, Lot 322; Sotheby Parke Bernet & Co., Catalogue of Fine Chinese and Korean Ceramics and Works of Art, April 3rd, 1979, Lot 165, with a different design of this theme having less but larger deer in a more sparse setting; Sotheby's Hong Kong, Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, November 20th, 1984, Lot 409; Sotheby's Hong Kong, Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, November 1, 1999, Lot 398, from the collection of Wilson P. Foss of very similar shape and palette to the present example but with iron-red handles; and October 29, 2001, Lot 605, of more bulbous shape and more blue enamel used for the mountains. If you would like more information on this piece, please click here. |
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| View our Object Under Spotlight for March, 2003. Sold | |||||||||||||||
View our Object Under Spotlight for September, 2001.
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View our Object Under Spotlight for Aug, 2001.
Sold |
View our Object Under Spotlight for July, 2001.
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View our Object Under Spotlight for May, 2001.
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View our Object Under Spotlight for March, 2001.
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View our Object Under Spotlight for February, 2001.
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Object Under Spotlight for January, 2001.
Sold |
View our Object Under Spotlight for December, 2000.
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