Pair Monumental Chinese Famille Verte Buddhist Ginger Jars, Late Qing Dynasty

Details

Description

Pair of Monumental Chinese Famille Verte Daoist and Buddhist Covered Ginger Jars
China, Late Qing Dynasty to Early Republic Period, … Read more Pair of Monumental Chinese Famille Verte Daoist and Buddhist Covered Ginger Jars
China, Late Qing Dynasty to Early Republic Period, Circa 1880–1920

An exceptional and visually commanding pair of monumental Chinese porcelain covered jars, richly decorated in the famille verte palette with an extraordinarily complex program of Daoist, Buddhist, and auspicious imagery. Standing an impressive 22 inches high and weighing approximately 27 pounds each, these substantial vessels represent the finest tradition of large-scale Chinese decorative porcelain intended for grand interiors and important households.

The baluster-form bodies are painted on a pale celadon-tinted ground and enveloped in a continuous landscape populated by immortals, celestial attendants, sacred beasts, cranes, deer, dragons, and legendary creatures. Unlike many decorative temple jars whose ornament is purely ornamental, these examples present a sophisticated symbolic narrative drawn from both Daoist and Buddhist traditions.

Most notable is the repeated appearance of Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, depicted seated upon a lotus throne surrounded by attendants and celestial beings. Her presence introduces an important spiritual dimension, transforming the jars from decorative objects into visual expressions of blessing, protection, mercy, and harmony. Surrounding Guanyin are numerous Daoist immortals carrying attributes associated with wisdom, longevity, transcendence, and spiritual attainment. Together they create a vision of the celestial realm where immortals, enlightened beings, and auspicious creatures coexist.

Throughout the decoration appear cranes, symbols of longevity and immortality; deer, associated with prosperity, rank, and long life; dragons embodying cosmic power and protection; and qilin, the benevolent mythical beasts believed to herald peace, virtue, and the arrival of noble descendants. Sacred mountains emerge from swirling clouds and flowing ribbons of energy, while celestial birds traverse the landscape between earthly and heavenly realms.

Particularly intriguing is the differing treatment of the lower borders. One jar employs motifs suggestive of water and waves, while the other incorporates forms resembling mountains, lotus petals, or sacred foliage. Together these elements evoke the ancient Chinese concept of Shan Shui, or "mountain and water," representing the harmonious balance of permanence and change, earth and heaven, and stability and transformation. This subtle variation reinforces the notion that the jars were conceived as complementary companions rather than identical counterparts.

The domed covers continue the narrative with additional immortals, attendants, and auspicious creatures, demonstrating the remarkable attention given to every visible surface. The dense hand-painted decoration, vibrant enamels, and successful integration of Buddhist and Daoist symbolism suggest production by a skilled workshop working within the late Qing revival of earlier Kangxi-period famille verte traditions.

Retaining their original covers and preserved as a true pair, these monumental jars possess the scale, artistry, and symbolic richness sought by collectors of Chinese porcelain and decorators alike. Equally compelling in traditional, contemporary, or grand architectural settings, they stand as powerful expressions of Chinese cosmology, where longevity, prosperity, spiritual protection, and celestial harmony are united within a single extraordinary decorative achievement.

Dimensions: 22 inches high x 14 inches diameter.
Weight: Approximately 27 pounds each. See less