Period:Ming dynasty Production date:1436-1464 (circa)
Materials:porcelain
Technique:glazed, slipped, cold painted, fahua,
Subjects:insect fungus,flower elephant
Dimensions:Height: 23.80 centimetres
Description:
Two four-sided porcelain vases with elephant-head handles and ‘fahua’-type decoration. Both heavily potted vases have the same shape and decoration, with minor differences in the execution of the design. They are pear-shaped but four-sided, with a square mouth and flat square unglazed base. On either side of the neck are handles in the form of elephants’ heads. Decorative motifs are outlined in raised slip and then filled in with ink-blue enamel and transparent glaze on a turquoise ground in ‘fahua’ style. On the front face arranged vertically are a spray of ‘lingzhi’ fungus, lozenge, peony flower, band of lappets, and a single scroll at the foot. On the back the design is the same except a chrysanthemum takes the place of the peony. Traces of red pigment are seen on the flowers and fungus, suggesting they were once cold-painted. On either side is a butterfly above the same band of lappets and a small single spiral design at the foot. The bases are flat and unglazed, showing a hard white porcelain body typical of Jingdezhen.
IMG
![图片[1]-altar-vase BM-1930-0719.5-6-China Archive](https://chinaarchive.net/Ming dynasty/Ceramics/mid_00272694_001.jpg)
Comments:Harrison-Hall 2001:The angular shape of these vases suggests that they are modelled after a bronze altar vase. Two blue-and-white porcelain vases of this square form with similar handles were excavated from the tomb of Mme Cai (1405-41), wife of the scholar official Wang Xi (1405-52), buried with her husband and his other two wives at Pingwu county, Sichuan province, in 1464.
Materials:porcelain
Technique:glazed, slipped, cold painted, fahua,
Subjects:insect fungus,flower elephant
Dimensions:Height: 23.80 centimetres
Description:
Two four-sided porcelain vases with elephant-head handles and ‘fahua’-type decoration. Both heavily potted vases have the same shape and decoration, with minor differences in the execution of the design. They are pear-shaped but four-sided, with a square mouth and flat square unglazed base. On either side of the neck are handles in the form of elephants’ heads. Decorative motifs are outlined in raised slip and then filled in with ink-blue enamel and transparent glaze on a turquoise ground in ‘fahua’ style. On the front face arranged vertically are a spray of ‘lingzhi’ fungus, lozenge, peony flower, band of lappets, and a single scroll at the foot. On the back the design is the same except a chrysanthemum takes the place of the peony. Traces of red pigment are seen on the flowers and fungus, suggesting they were once cold-painted. On either side is a butterfly above the same band of lappets and a small single spiral design at the foot. The bases are flat and unglazed, showing a hard white porcelain body typical of Jingdezhen.
IMG
Comments:Harrison-Hall 2001:The angular shape of these vases suggests that they are modelled after a bronze altar vase. Two blue-and-white porcelain vases of this square form with similar handles were excavated from the tomb of Mme Cai (1405-41), wife of the scholar official Wang Xi (1405-52), buried with her husband and his other two wives at Pingwu county, Sichuan province, in 1464.
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