Dynasty Blue-and-White Large Jar with Fish, Aquatic Plants, and Applied Beast-Head Handles

拍品描述

Dimensions: 40.3 cm (approx. 15.87 inches); Yuan Dynasty, 13th-14th century. Condition and Provenance: Well-preserved, with a wide mouth, short and tapering neck, full shoulders, and a rounded body that tapers towards the bottom. The animal-head handles on the shoulders are intact, with clearly visible facial features and outlines. The wave pattern on the neck, the scroll pattern on the shoulders, the fish and aquatic plant pattern on the body, and the lotus petal pattern on the base are all clearly visible. The cobalt blue glaze ranges from a soft grayish-blue to a deep indigo blue, with dark iron-rich deposits and natural firing diffusion marks visible on some of the thicker glaze areas. The glaze is a soft bluish-white, with slight signs of age and long-term handling and display; slight wear is visible on the mouth, shoulder, and foot. The interior is covered with a pale bluish-white glaze, still showing throwing marks and kiln marks. The wide, unglazed sandy base shows signs of multiple trimmings and scrapings, as well as ancient soil deposits, stains, and natural wear marks. This piece comes from a private collection in New York, USA, and was formerly owned by an overseas family. Description: This large Yuan Dynasty blue and white porcelain jar, 40.3 cm high, possesses the imposing presence and architectural feel characteristic of large display vessels. The jar has a wide mouth, a short, tapering neck, rounded and powerful shoulders, and a full, deep body that gradually narrows towards the base. Symmetrically, the shoulders are decorated with animal-head handles. The protruding eyes, prominent snouts, sculpted eyebrows, and upward-sloping features of the animal-head handles add a strong three-dimensional effect to the originally painted body, giving the jar a distinct ceremonial and sculptural quality. The rim of the cup is decorated with narrow, curling or geometric patterns, while the neck is painted with a continuous band of wave patterns. Fine parallel lines delineate the movement of the water waves, with dark, curling crests occasionally leaping above the surface. Below the crests, the shoulder is painted with intricate floral patterns, primarily featuring large flowers and curled leaves. The flowers are full and layered, with a darker center and lighter petals around them. The branches and leaves spread freely around the cup. The two fish have clearly defined heads, sharp eyes, slightly open mouths, strong dorsal fins, and broad tails. Their scales are meticulously depicted with repeating line patterns. One fish has exceptionally dense and varied patterns on its scales, while the other's scales display more regular intersecting shading lines. These differences give the two fish distinct visual characteristics while maintaining balance within the same composition. A large clump of aquatic plants grows between the two fish. Slender leaves extend upwards with parallel brushstrokes.

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