YONGZHENG SIX-CHARACTER MARK IN UNDERGLAZE BLUE WITHIN A DOUBLE CIRCLE AND OF THE PERIOD (1723-1735)

The striking geometric decoration of this jar is derived from Middle Eastern textile and metalwork motifs that were first incorporated into Chinese blue‑and‑white porcelain during the Yongle period (1403–1424). Comparable designs appear on cylindrical albarello‑shaped jars and moonflasks produced at the imperial kilns at this time. A Yongle jar and cover from the Qing Court Collection is published in Geng Baochang, ed., Early Ming Blue‑and‑White Porcelain in the Palace Museum, Beijing, 2002, vol. 1, pl. 22. The enduring appeal of this exotic aesthetic is reflected in Qing interpretations, such as on the present jar. For a Yongzheng-marked example (10.3 cm. high), see ibid., vol, 2, pl. 193. A Yongzheng‑marked jarlet of similar design but of smaller size (3 cm.), was sold at Christie’s New York, 12 September 2018, lot 147.