Ming Yongle Official Blue and White Pear-Shaped Yuhuchun Vase with Floral, Plum and Magpie Decoration, Early 15th Century Imperial Porcelain

拍品描述

Dimensions: Overall height 28.5cm (11.22in), Ming Yongle imperial kiln porcelainCondition & Provenance: The vase is fully intact without cracks, chips or restorations. The glaze is glossy and translucent, with rich, stable cobalt blue pigment featuring naturally embedded iron rust speckles. The exposed foot rim bears light yellowish-brown natural firing rust patina with genuine inherited age wear, no artificial aging treatment. This vase was formerly part of a long-established Oriental art collection in New York, acquired by a senior Beijing porcelain collector in 2016. Imperial Yongle blue and white yuhuchun vases are scarce worldwide, and examples with magpie-and-plum floral themes are exceptionally rare, serving as definitive representative artifacts of early Ming imperial porcelain.Description: This vase follows the classic imperial yuhuchun pear-shaped form of the Ming Yongle reign, with a flared mouth, slender tapering neck, plump drooping pear belly and outward splayed foot. Its fluid, balanced silhouette embodies the grand, elegant aesthetic of early Ming imperial wares.the entire surface is painted in imported Sumali cobalt blue pigment, divided into distinct horizontal decorative bands from top to bottom with precise, orderly layout:A band of ruyi cloud scrolls directly beneath the mouth rim, rendered with soft, flowing outlines;A central neck register filled with interlocking scrolling foliage, well-balanced in density;A transitional band between neck and belly bearing blooming peony sprigs with full leaves; thick cobalt deposits form characteristic sunk iron speckles, the signature mark of Sumali ore used in Yongle and Xuande imperial workshops;the main belly panel features the auspicious magpie-on-plum blossom motif. Gnarled plum branches stretch across the surface dotted with white plum blossoms, two vivid magpies perch on the boughs with lifelike expressions, symbolizing “joy arriving at the brows”. Accompanying peach fruit and foliage enrich the composition, masterfully balanced with bold, vigorous brushwork and expressive line variation;The base is encircled by a double band of upward lotus petal lappets with crisp outlines and clean reserved white spaces, a standard border motif of Yongle imperial porcelain.The ceramic body is dense and refined, covered in a thick, translucent pale bluish-white glaze. The foot ring is neatly hand-trimmed with a smooth plain unmarked base; the exposed clay rim displays natural light tan firing rust, authentic wood-dragon kiln production traces.Yongle imperial blue and white relied exclusively on imported Sumali cobalt ore, producing a deep blue tone with dark black recessed speckles where pigment pooled, creating striking depth and texture. Yuhuchun vases decorated with bird-and-flower scenes are far less common than simpler lotus or fruit designs, carrying both imperial display function and traditional symbolic blessing meaning. This piece fully preserves all core technical hallmarks of Yongle imperial porcelain: body shaping, hand-painted decoration and high-glaze application. It holds extraordinary collectible and academic value, ideal for high-tier imperial porcelain collections and museum exhibitions focused on early Ming court ceramics, acting as a key physical reference for studying Yongle cobalt materials, painting styles and imperial vessel forms.

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