A WHITE JADE BRUSH POT, BITONG, QIANLONG PERIOD

拍品描述

A WHITE JADE BRUSH POT, BITONG, QIANLONG PERIOD Expert’s note This white jade brushpot is distinguished by the exceptional quality of its stone on the one hand, and by the remarkable simplicity and restraint of its design on the other. Skillfully carved with a continuous landscape that unfolds like a handscroll as the vessel is turned, the composition achieves a rare sense of harmony and spaciousness, balancing finely carved detail against broad expanses of flawlessly polished surface. These qualities are characteristic of the finest 18th-century jade carving and stand in marked contrast to later brushpots of this type, particularly those produced during the 19th century and thereafter. Such examples frequently employ stone lacking the distinctive pure white color with its subtle grayish tone seen here, while their decoration tends to become increasingly crowded, not to say cluttered, with an abundance of secondary detail and rocks arranged in complex, often almost grotesquely interlocking formations. The present brushpot displays precisely the opposite approach. The landscape is conceived with remarkable breadth and openness, leaving generous areas of undecorated stone and allowing the composition to breathe. Individual details are often minute and exquisitely rendered, yet never disturb the overall serenity of the design. Most impressive, however, is the masterful polish of the extensive plain surfaces—a technically demanding aspect of jade carving that requires exceptional skill and considerable labor. China, 1736-1795. Of cylindrical form, finely carved with undercut detailing, the pot presents a continuous landscape populated with scholars and fishers engaged in daily pursuits, interspersed with pavilions beside water and rock formations. A pair of cranes in flight appears below misty clouds, framed by pines. The translucent stone is of an even white tone. Dimensions: Height 10.5 cm, Diameter 10.5 cm The Qianlong Emperor fervently promoted the idea of infusing jade carvings with the essence of classical paintings, elevating the jade brushpot to become an important medium for pictorial subjects. Many of these 'pictorial' brushpots illustrate historical events or stories as memorialized in classical paintings, whilst others interpret their source material ingeniously, aiming to encapsulate the spirit of China's vibrant tradition of landscape painting. Literature comparison: Compare a related jade brush pot with water and mountain landscape, dated Qing dynasty, 10 cm tall, in the National Palace Museum, reference number 故玉004009N000000000. Compare a related jade brushpot with jade-handled brush, dated Qianlong period, size 12.7 x 12.7 cm, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, object number 2015.500.5.85a, b. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 9 April 2024, lot 3672 Price: HKD 1,206,500 or approx. EUR 138,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related form, manner of carving, stone, and size (11 cm). Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Christie’s Hong Kong, 30 May 2023, lot 3091 Price: HKD 1,260,000 or approx. EUR 148,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related form, manner of carving, and stone. Note the similar size (12.3 cm).

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