bottle BM-Franks.948.+

Period:Qing dynasty Production date:1710-1720 (Espir (2005))
Materials:porcelain
Technique:mould-made, glazed, painted, underglazed,
Subjects:bird landscape
Dimensions:Diameter: 10.60 centimetres Height: 24.50 centimetres (reduced) Weight: 1.10 kilograms

Description:
Chinese porcelain bottle, overpainted in Germany. The cylindrical bottle is decorated with overall carved lotus scrolls on the body and rose and camellia sprays on the neck, which originally was slightly flared; the base bears underglaze-blue double rings. The sides are overpainted in black and gold with an elaborate exotic figure scene, showing on one side a Chinese gentleman with a tall fan, and a lady accompanied by a servant with a fruit bowl, and between them a figure kneeling on the ground as if performing a kotow and a large phoenix swooping down at him; on the reverse, separated by large trees, is another exotic-looking couple with a child heading towards the scene, the man carrying a sword, the lady a fan, and above them another phoenix. A mountainous landscape with a pyramid, pavilions and other buildings is visible in the background and decorative shrubs are filling the foreground.
IMG


Comments:Harrison-Hall and Krahl 1994:The bottle was made at Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, and is a typical piece of Kangxi porcelain (1662-1722). The painting is closely related to that of cups and saucers (BM Franks. 1442 and BM Franks. 1443) and was probably done by the same painter, Ignaz Preissler of Kronstadt in Bohemia. Depictions of phoenixes – known in Europe as ‘hoho’ birds (an adaptation of their Japanese name) -ere an integral part of ‘chinoiserie’ designs. Espir (2005):This tall Chinese rouleau vase was decorated by Ignaz Preissler in “schwarzlot”. The kneeling figure has been taken from a picture of “medians”, beggars, by Nieuhof (“Embassy to China”). He was then combined with a swooping eagle and oriental ladies in a print by Weigel, while Preissler has replaced the ladies with oriental men and added his own landscape background