44.
A WUCAI ENAMELLED ‘CUIXIAO YINFENG’ JAR AND COVER
Qing dynasty, circa 1650-1670
49,5 cm high
Provenance: Naples, Villa della Floridiana, Museo Duca di Martina, Placido de Sangro (1829-1891) collection.
inv. n. 3938.
The so-called ‘Transitional’ period ranging from the late Ming period in the reign of the Chongzhen emperor (from circa 1627; or earlier from the 1620s if the Tianqi period is to be included) to the early Qing period during the early years of the reign of the Kangxi emperor (in the 1660s), saw significant decline in official orders from the court and those for export. This was due to the struggle between the Ming and Manchu forces, economic decline and social disorder. The decline in official orders for porcelain on the one hand and the rise of the wealthy merchant and literati classes on the other hand contributed to the change in production in Jingdezhen. This manifested, in continuation from the Tianqi reign, with decorative schemes and subject matters borrowed or based on woodblock-printed books of the Wanli to Chongzhen reigns, including novels, historical writings and poetry. The wide range of designs and painterly style demonstrated significant artistic freedom which characterises this period.
The jar is decorated in the wucai palette with scenes from the old love story of Xiao Shi and Nong Yu who fell in love through the sound of a flute (Cuixiao Yinfeng, “Charming the phoenixes by playing the flute”). Xiao Shi was impoverished by highly skilled and Nong Yu was the daughter of the Duke of Mu of Qin. When playing the flute Xiao Shi was able to attract phoenixes by imitating the sound of their calls and taught Nong Yu to play the sound. Nong Yu fell in love with him and they eventually were married. After several decades real male and female phoenixes came down in response to the sound. The Duke of Mu built a Phoenix Terrace, where the couple spent their time. A number of years later Nong Yu rode a phoenix and Xiao Shi on a dragon and the two ascended to immortality.
The jar is decorated with the two lovers each holding a flute standing next to the phoenixes who responded to their music. Another scene on the jar shows a number of immortals, some bearing peaches of immortality, and a mystical vapour rising to heaven in the form of a dragon and phoenix, representing the ascent of Xiao Shi and Nong Yu to immortality. A further aspect shows an immortal patting a deer, symbolic of long life, next to the immortal Liu Hai with the three-legged toad and a boy carrying peach.
The shoulders are painted with a border enclosing cracked-ice design, below the neck decorated with chrysanthemum and peony sprays. Chrysanthemums (ju) are associated with longevity and wealth; they represent autumn. Peony (fuguihua) is known as the ‘king of flowers’ and also known as the flower of ‘wealth and honour’. The cover is decorated with boys at play amidst rockwork, alluding to the wish for having many boys and continuity of the family.
A wucai square vase decorated on one side with a related scene of Cuixiao Yinfeng, from the Grandidier Collection, is in Musée Guimet (inv n. G 4726).
