A GOLD AND SILVER INLAID BRONZE VASE, HU, LATE MING-EARLY QING DYNASTY

拍品描述

A GOLD AND SILVER INLAID BRONZE VASE, HU, LATE MING-EARLY QING DYNASTY China, 17th-18th century. Heavily cast, the pear-shaped body rising from a slightly splayed foot to a waisted neck and flaring rim, flanked by a pair of taotie mask handles suspending loose rings, the body and neck each cast with a band enclosing taotie masks finely inlaid with gold and silver and set on a diaper ground, all above blade form lappets enclosing confronting chilong. Dimensions: Height 30 cm The present vase reflects the enduring reverence for antiquity that informed bronze production during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. Drawing on the ritual vessels of the Shang and Zhou, its imposing form, pendent ring handles, and boldly articulated taotie masks evoke an ancient visual language closely associated with classical learning and cultivated taste. The finely worked scroll grounds and precious-metal inlays enrich this archaistic vocabulary, their intricate detail and luminous accents contrasting with the dark bronze surface. Such works attest to a flourishing antiquarian culture among scholars, collectors, and patrons, which would receive particularly ambitious imperial expression during the Qianlong reign. The emperor’s monumental bronze catalogues, including the Xiqing Gujian, completed in 1755, and the subsequent Ningshou Jiangu and Xiqing Xujian, formalized a tradition of collecting, studying, and reinterpreting ancient bronzes that had developed over preceding centuries. The present vase exemplifies this tradition, combining the formal authority of ancient ritual vessels with the decorative refinement of later bronze craftsmanship. Auction result comparison: Type: Near identical Auction: Yu Jen Taipei, 19 April 2015, lot 225 Mid-Estimate: TWD 325,000 or approx. EUR 12,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the near identical form, manner of casting, decoration, parcel-gilding, and motifs. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Christie’s Paris, 9 June 2015, lot 218 Price: EUR 10,000 or approx. EUR 12,500 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related manner of casting, decoration, parcel-gilding, and motifs. Note the size (36.3 cm).

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