CHINE, DYNASTIE QING, MARQUE À SIX CARACTÈRES EN CACHET EN CREUX ET ÉPOQUE QIANLONG (1736-1795)

This rare vase, with its combination of glaze and shape, epitomizes the interest during the reigns of the Yongzheng and Qianlong emperors in wares that referenced earlier periods. The flambé glaze represents the 18th-century interpretation of the Jun glazes of the Song period, while the shape is an interpretation of the early bronze hu of the Han dynasty. The rich color and texture of the flambé glaze also work exceptionally well in accentuating the theme of archaism when used on a large vase inspired by an archaic bronze. However, only very few examples of this type appear to be known. A smaller Yongzheng-marked hu-shaped vase (24 cm. high) with molded bowstrings in the Qing Court Collection is illustrated in Monochrome Porcelain, The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Hong Kong, 1999, no. 177. Compare to a slightly smaller hu-shaped flambé vase (34.6 cm.), with a Yongzheng mark, sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 27 October 2003, lot 704 (HKD 2,079,750).