| Very fine pair of mirror image garlic mouth vases in famille rose, each with the image of a wise man his garments wrapped around him against a background of pine, rocks and grasses on one side and a Chinese poem in calligraphy on the reverse, a border of ruyi around the mouthrim and the foot, an apocryphal four character Qianlong mark in overglazed blue enamel in a square on the base. Republic Period. 4 1/2 in.
Provenance: New York Collection
Of excellent quality, this pair of mirror image vases reflects the high level of workmanship still extant following the end of the Manchu reign. During the late Qing, early Republic periods there were still living some of the finest potters and painters at the Imperial and private kilns at Jingdezhen who were able to create pieces of this quality. During the early Republic Period these artists, along with a group of the most talented painters in China, including Wan Chien, Wang Hui, Wang Yuan, Wang Shih-ing, Wu Lu and Yun Shou were commissioned to paint and decorate porcelain being made at both the former imperial kilns and the private kilns at Jingdezhen that began to thrive with the end of the Qing. "A Discourse on Hung Hsien Porcelain", Mark Chou, Moss Printing Co., Niles, Ill., 1987. It would not be surprising of this pair of vases were produced during this time. |
