Ref: U801
£ 3,800
Price is subject to availability and market conditions.
Pair of Chinese famille verte porcelain square-section vases, Kangxi (1662-1722), upon spreading feet with lappets, the base sections each decorated with four roundels containing prunus, lotus, chrysanthemum and peony, set against a lieuwen background with small lotus heads to the corners; between sloping sides with ogee-shaped panels containing beribboned scholarly objects, weiqi boards and various flowers; the sides of the upper sections decorated with assortments of precious objects, alternating with landscape scenes including a lone boat beside a pagoda, and a qilin crouching amongst shrubbery; all below further square sections decorated with the shou (longevity) and shuangxi (double happiness) characters, the flared necks with stylised lotus heads.
Condition:
One with restored chip to base, small enamel loss, minor fritting, all neatly restored.
Notes:
Example of similar vases sold at Christie's
In Chinese culture and art, flowers hold a rich symbolism; here, the four different flowers on the lower sections represent the passing of the seasons: peony (spring), orchid/lotus (summer), chrysanthemum (autumn) and prunus (winter). Though other flowers are sometimes substituted, these seasonal groupings appear frequently in Chinese and Japanese ceramics and paintings; often appearing on screen panels or scrolls.
