148.
A ‘FAMILLE VERTE’ DOUBLE GOURD VASE, HULUPING
Qing dynasty, Kangxi period, early 18th century
44 cm high
Provenance: Naples, Villa della Floridiana, Museo Duca di Martina, Placido de Sangro (1829-1891) collection.
inv. n. 3818.
The upper pear-shaped section of the vase is decorated with a stylized scroll of lotus flowers alternating with Lança characters. The lower globular body shows sprays of fruits (pomegranates, hand citrons, peaches) and round medallions with stylized cranes beneath ruyi shaped cartouches enclosing chrysanthemums and butterflies against a pointed black green ground.
Lança is a decorative script originated in India which was used in Tibet from the eleventh century to write religious and literary texts that have been translated from Sanskrit, much appreciated also for its cursive and decorative characteristics.
It appears also on Chinese porcelain produced in those periods in which the emperors and the court were more convincing affiliated to Tibetan Buddhism.
Even if less devout than his nephew, the emperor Qianlong, also Kangxi adopted Tibetan Buddhism, promoting therefore the symbolic and decorative use of Lança characters.
When depicted together, the motif of pomegranate (shiliu, symbol of fecundity because of its many seeds), peach (taozi, associated with immortality and long life) and citron (fushou, symbol of happiness, longevity and wealth) is known as sanduo, the ‘Three Abundances”, assuming the meaning of a blessing for “long life, descendants and money”.
