A MAGNIFICENT GILT-SPLASHED BRONZE PHOENIX-TAIL VASE, YENYEN, 17TH-18TH CENTURY

拍品描述

A MAGNIFICENT GILT-SPLASHED BRONZE PHOENIX-TAIL VASE, YENYEN, 17TH-18TH CENTURY China. Superbly cast, the lobed baluster body supported on a splayed foot studded with bosses and rising to a tall trumpet neck. The shoulder cast in high relief with a ruyi-head collar, the base of the neck with two raised fillets below a pair of cloud-form handles set to either side, a band of low-relief dragons and leiwen around the mid-section of the neck, the deep brown patina with richly gilt splashes of irregular shapes. The base cast with an apocryphal six-character mark da Ming Xuande nianzhi. Dimensions: Height 32.6 cm Bronzes covered in an even pattern of gold flecks are generally referred to as ‘gilt-‘ or ‘gold-splashed’ bronzes. In Later Chinese Bronzes (p. 39), Rose Kerr explains the technique of applying gold flecks to bronze: “[…] gold [is applied] in the form of a gold/mercury amalgam and then […] the vessel [is heated] to drive off the mercury. A small amount of gold was left adhering to the base metal since this method is particularly suitable for the application of very thin layers. The process could be repeated several times to build up layers of gold, if desired.” The origin of gold-splashed decoration on bronzes remains a source of speculation. According to Gerard Tsang and Hugh Moss in Arts from the Scholar's Studio, Hong Kong, 1986, p.184, the popularity of this surface decoration was possibly fostered by Xuande bronzes of the Ming dynasty when the appearance of the gilt-splashes was accidentally caused by the uneven surface patination of the vessel. Robert Mowry also suggests that the appearance of fine paper speckled with gold and silver in the 15th century 'might have also played a role in the creation of such abstract decoration', see Robert D. Mowry, China's Renaissance in Bronze. The Robert H. Clague Collection of Later Chinese Bronzes 1100-1900, Phoenix, 1993, p.169. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Bonhams Paris, 26 October 2023, lot 193 Price: EUR 35,840 or approx. EUR 38,000 adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related form, manner of casting, gilt splashes, and Xuande mark. Note the size (40.8 cm), different handles, and more bulbous body lacking the lobes and ruyi collar of the present lot. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Sotheby’s New York, 12 September 2018, lot 305 Price: USD 23,750 or approx. EUR 27,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related form, manner of casting, gilt splashes, and Xuande mark. Note the size (46.4 cm)

图片