Chinese Blue and White "Prunus" Bottle Vase, Tianqiuping

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Qing dynasty, Kangxi style, 19th century
A striking Chinese blue and white bottle vase of tianqiuping form, the generous globular … Read more Qing dynasty, Kangxi style, 19th century
A striking Chinese blue and white bottle vase of tianqiuping form, the generous globular body rising to a tall cylindrical neck, painted overall in the celebrated Kangxi taste with gnarled branches of flowering prunus reserved in white against a rich, mottled cobalt-blue ground simulating cracked ice — a design symbolising the arrival of spring and the renewal of the year. The blossoms are rendered in crisp reserve with finely pencilled stamens, the branches boldly sketched and ascending the neck in a naturalistic sweep, the washed blue ground attractively graduated with the characteristic "fingerprint" mottling of the type. The recessed base is covered in a clear glaze and bears the remains of an old collector\u2019s paper label inscribed in ink "Kang Hsi Period 1680", with traces of an underglaze blue mark visible beneath. The prunus-on-cracked-ice pattern, first perfected during the Kangxi reign (1662–1722), enjoyed enormous popularity in the nineteenth century, and the present vase is a handsome and well-potted example of that revival, with strong colour and confident drawing throughout.
— THE HOUSE —
From The Orient Gates: four generations of the Harb family, Damascene artisans and antique dealers since the 1870s, heirs of the painter Abou Sobhi Al-Tinawi (Muhammad Harb). Every piece is examined, restored and documented in our family ateliers. A certificate of authenticity accompanies every piece.
— DETAILS —
Origin: China, Jingdezhen kilns
Period: Qing dynasty, 19th century, in the Kangxi manner
Materials: Porcelain, Underglaze cobalt blue
Dimensions: Height: 42 cm (16 ½ in.) See less