59. IMAGE 346, 347 (PI)
A POLYCHROME ENAMELLED SLEEVE VASE
Qing dynasty, circa 1660
35,6 cm high
Provenance: Naples, Villa della Floridiana, Museo Duca di Martina, Placido de Sangro (1829-1891) collection, acquired from “F. Willems/ R. Joubert 33, Meubles Anciens/ Curiosités & Objets d’Arts” (label).
inv. n. 4865.
The cylindrical vase is decorated with a central register enclosing a chrysanthemum scroll, between two wide cash and scale diaper borders inset with the Eight Treasures, all between a border with striding chi-dragons amidst foliate lingzhi fungus below the shoulders with a crashing waves border, and lotus lappets and zigzag bands above the foot, the neck with a quatrefoil and palmette register between a zigzag and scroll bands.
The Eight Treasures or Eight Precious Things (babao) are auspicious symbols of good fortune and include: jewel or pearl (baozhu, granting wishes); cash coin (jinqian, wealth); open lozenge (fangsheng, victory); pair of books (learning and on of the Four Signs of a Scholar); mirror, solid lozenge (jing, conjugal happiness, counteracting evil); musical stone (qing, ministerial emblem and symbol of upright life); pair of rhinoceros horns (xijiao, happiness); artemisia leaf (aiye, good luck and prevention of disease).
The chrysanthemum (ju) represents autumn and is symbolic of long life because the name sounds similar to the word meaning ‘long enduring’.
The lingzhi fungus, Ganoderma lucidum, known as the mushroom of immortality, is symbolic of long life.
The decoration of dragons pursuing lingzhi can be seen in the Jiajing and Wanli periods; for a Jiajing example, see a square polychrome enamelled bowl, Jiajing mark and period, and for a Wanli example, see a wucai tripod incense burner, Wanli mark and period, both in the British Museum, London (J. Harrison-Hall, Catalogue of the Late Yuan and Ming Ceramics in the British Museum, London 2001, nn. 9:114 and 11:156).
Closely related designs appear in the early Kangxi reign, indicating this vase should be dated circa 1660; see a ‘blue and white’ sleeve vase, Kangxi period, in this same collection.
