A ‘BLUE AND WHITE’ EWER AND COVER

97.

A ‘BLUE AND WHITE’ EWER AND COVER
Qing dynasty, Kangxi period, early 18th century
18,6 cm high
Provenance: Naples, Villa della Floridiana, Museo Duca di Martina, Placido de Sangro (1829-1891).
inv. n. 3494

Standing a circular foot, the pear-shaped body rising to a cylindrical neck with ribbed mouth, the curved spout attached to the neck by an undulated hook, the tall loop handle applied between the higher zone of the body and the centre of the neck, a slightly domed cover with a knob finial, the decoration on the body consisting of large heart-shaped cartouches with stylized floral scrolls reserved on a reticulated ground.

The shape of this ewer is inspired by Near-Eastern metal prototypes. The cover originally belonged to another piece.

A nearly identical ewer, with a Dutch mount of the mid nineteenth century, is illustrated in D. Howard – J. Ayers, China for the West. Chinese Porcelain and other Decorative Arts for Export illustrated from the Mottahedeh Collection, 2 voll., London – New York 1978, I, n. 28.