CHINE, DYNASTIE QING, XVIIIÈME SIÈCLE

Inspired by the legendary Ru glaze of the Song dynasty, the soft, gentle hue of clair-de-lune is one of the most treasured Qing glazes, and was reserved exclusively for Imperial porcelains. The colour appears first in Kangxi porcelains; clair-de-lune wares were made in the same eight classic shapes for the writing table, as peachbloom-glazed wares, but are considerably rarer.
A similar clair de lune-glazed double gourd vase (17.1 cm high), dated Kangxi-Yongzheng period, is in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of New York, Accession Number: 14.40.27.