Period:Ming dynasty Production date:1488-1505
Materials:porcelain
Technique:glazed, incised,
Subjects:book/newspaper country house musical instrument lotus official servant/domestic worker equestrian
Dimensions:Diameter: 31 centimetres Height: 32.50 centimetres
Description:
Porcelain ‘guan’ jar with a design in trailed slip and incised beneath a clear glaze. Three civil officials on horseback are depicted approaching a traditional Chinese mansion, accompanied by servants. The mounts of the gentlemen are decked out with elaborate trappings, saddles and bridles. Dressed in winged hats and round-necked long robes, the officials are each accompanied by an attendant dressed in a short robe, trousers and a ‘fez’-style hat and carrying a parasol. Three other servants are portrayed on a smaller scale, wearing trousers and V-necked robes tied with long sashes. They are hatless and have a distinctive coiffure, with two hornlike buns on the tops of their heads. Two of these men are approaching a spreading pine tree, one carrying a book and the other a round ceremonial fan on a long pole. The third carries a ‘qin’ [zither] wrapped in a textile cloth. A thick bank of ‘ruyi’-shaped clouds marks the end of the scene in the traditional Ming way. Additional details are incised, evoking an assortment of textures such as the clay roof tiles, the bark on the willow tree and the textile patterns of the parasols. Similar to the ‘ruyi’-shaped medallions frequently found on the shoulders of ‘fahua’ jars, these medallions are unusual as instead of the Eight Buddhist Treasures they contain a repeated motif of a lotus flower resting on a ‘ruyi’ cloud. In between are canopy and conch shells, alternatively shown suspended from beading. A band of ‘ruyi’ heads marks the join of the neck to the body and ten ‘ruyi’ clouds ornament the neck. The elaborate lappet design above the foot is also a variant on that found on fahua jars. The present jar is glazed inside.
IMG
![图片[1]-guan BM-1937-0716.105-China Archive](https://chinaarchive.net/Ming dynasty/Ceramics/mid_00254774_001.jpg)
Comments:Harrison-Hall 2001:This heavily potted ‘guan’ wine jar is extremely rare. It is identical in form to jars with ‘fahua’-type decoration with broad shoulders, a short neck with thickened square-cut rim, a wide foot ring, an unglazed base with accidental traces of glaze and with scored marks. Its decoration is also reminiscent of ‘fahua’-type ceramics; designs are outlined in trailed slip beneath a blue-tinged white monochrome glaze. Such ‘fahua’ jars may have originally had an overhanging lid in the form of a lotus leaf.Craig Clunas has suggested that the repetitive theme in Ming decorative art objects of gentlemen visiting one another bearing gifts alludes to the context in which such objects were used. Containers for gifts of food and drink were popular presents, particularly at New Year, birthdays and weddings. Large ovoid jars of this type were used to store wine and appear in illustrations on, for example, ‘Cizhou’ ceramics such as an arrow vase (see BM 1937.0716.74) where an immortal is shown slumped against the side of such a jar filled with alcohol and with a ladle. An interesting variation on this sort of jar, in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, is decorated with biscuit outlined figures of Lu Dongbin and other immortals on an otherwise white ground. Similar designs may be found on porcelains of the Interregnum (see BM 1937.0716.79) and continue to be seen on ‘fahua’ wares of the Hongzhi period (see BM Franks.195+).
Materials:porcelain
Technique:glazed, incised,
Subjects:book/newspaper country house musical instrument lotus official servant/domestic worker equestrian
Dimensions:Diameter: 31 centimetres Height: 32.50 centimetres
Description:
Porcelain ‘guan’ jar with a design in trailed slip and incised beneath a clear glaze. Three civil officials on horseback are depicted approaching a traditional Chinese mansion, accompanied by servants. The mounts of the gentlemen are decked out with elaborate trappings, saddles and bridles. Dressed in winged hats and round-necked long robes, the officials are each accompanied by an attendant dressed in a short robe, trousers and a ‘fez’-style hat and carrying a parasol. Three other servants are portrayed on a smaller scale, wearing trousers and V-necked robes tied with long sashes. They are hatless and have a distinctive coiffure, with two hornlike buns on the tops of their heads. Two of these men are approaching a spreading pine tree, one carrying a book and the other a round ceremonial fan on a long pole. The third carries a ‘qin’ [zither] wrapped in a textile cloth. A thick bank of ‘ruyi’-shaped clouds marks the end of the scene in the traditional Ming way. Additional details are incised, evoking an assortment of textures such as the clay roof tiles, the bark on the willow tree and the textile patterns of the parasols. Similar to the ‘ruyi’-shaped medallions frequently found on the shoulders of ‘fahua’ jars, these medallions are unusual as instead of the Eight Buddhist Treasures they contain a repeated motif of a lotus flower resting on a ‘ruyi’ cloud. In between are canopy and conch shells, alternatively shown suspended from beading. A band of ‘ruyi’ heads marks the join of the neck to the body and ten ‘ruyi’ clouds ornament the neck. The elaborate lappet design above the foot is also a variant on that found on fahua jars. The present jar is glazed inside.
IMG
Comments:Harrison-Hall 2001:This heavily potted ‘guan’ wine jar is extremely rare. It is identical in form to jars with ‘fahua’-type decoration with broad shoulders, a short neck with thickened square-cut rim, a wide foot ring, an unglazed base with accidental traces of glaze and with scored marks. Its decoration is also reminiscent of ‘fahua’-type ceramics; designs are outlined in trailed slip beneath a blue-tinged white monochrome glaze. Such ‘fahua’ jars may have originally had an overhanging lid in the form of a lotus leaf.Craig Clunas has suggested that the repetitive theme in Ming decorative art objects of gentlemen visiting one another bearing gifts alludes to the context in which such objects were used. Containers for gifts of food and drink were popular presents, particularly at New Year, birthdays and weddings. Large ovoid jars of this type were used to store wine and appear in illustrations on, for example, ‘Cizhou’ ceramics such as an arrow vase (see BM 1937.0716.74) where an immortal is shown slumped against the side of such a jar filled with alcohol and with a ladle. An interesting variation on this sort of jar, in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, is decorated with biscuit outlined figures of Lu Dongbin and other immortals on an otherwise white ground. Similar designs may be found on porcelains of the Interregnum (see BM 1937.0716.79) and continue to be seen on ‘fahua’ wares of the Hongzhi period (see BM Franks.195+).
© Copyright
The copyright of the article belongs to the author, please keep the original link for reprinting.
THE END
