† A RARE CHINESE BLUE AND WHITE 'TIAN' JAR

CHENGHUA 1465-87

The body decorated with four mythological creatures with tusks, trunks and wings, above waves and between finely painted leaf bands to the shoulder and foot, the base with a tian (heaven) mark, some areas repaired with later sections, 12.8cm across.

Cf. R Krahl, The Emperor's Broken China, p.112, pl.4, and Catalogue of the Special Exhibition Ch'eng-Hua Porcelain Ware, National Palace Museum, pp.127-129, where similar jars with doucai enamels are illustrated, suggesting that this piece was probably intended to be similarly enamelled.