Antique Chinese & Japanese PorcelainEuropean Ceramics & Works of Art
Chinese blanc de chine figure group of three Go players, Kangxi (1662-1722), two figures seated on the ground on either side of the goban with their right hands outstretched, while another stands and looks on with his arms crossed, all before a rocky grotto with a tree in blossom.
Dimensions:
Height: 10cm. (3 7/8in.); width: 6.7cm. (2 5/8in.)
Condition:
Tiny chip to one flower
Provenance:
The ancient Chinese game of go ('weiqi') dates back millennia, the earliest known reference to it being in the historical annal Zuo Zhuan (written around the 4th century BC). The game came to be considered one of the four scholarly accomplishments of the literati, along with playing the weiqi, calligraphy and painting. Reference to these four accomplishments within Kangxi porcelain design was common, as during the political upheaval of the Ming and early Qing, the notions of traditional value and stability associated with the ancient scholars offered a connection to an idealised past. Encouraged by the Emperor’s own personal dedication to literati pursuits, Kangxi collectors valued wares that embodied the scholarly aesthetic and demonstrated their elevated intellectual and social status.
Guest & Gray 58 Davies StreetLondonW1K 5LP
