A PAIR OF CHINESE BLUE AND WHITE GU-SHAPED 'YUANYANG TAO' VASES

A PAIR OF CHINESE BLUE AND WHITE GU-SHAPED 'YUANYANG TAO' VASES
KANGXI 1662-1722

Each painted with continuous scenes divided into three registers by chevron borders, the tall flaring necks are painted with court ladies performing a dance and playing musical instruments for a noble lady, the central bulbous sections and lower registers decorated with ladies in leisurely pursuits within garden settings, each base has an artemisia leaf within a double circle border, 43 cm and 42.2 cm. (2)

Provenance: from the collection of the 9th Marquis of Waterford, Henry Nicholas de la Poer (b.1958) of Curraghmore, County Waterford.

Cf. Sotheby's London, 9th November 2011, lot 183, for a related five-piece garniture including a pair of gu-shaped vases with identical scenes. The story of Yuanyang Tao is a romantic folk story about love and transformation, emphasizing that love can overcome any obstacle.

清康熙 青花鴛鴦絛人物故事圖花觚 一對
來源：愛爾蘭沃特福德克拉莫爾第九代沃特福德侯爵Henry Nicholas de la Poer (1958年生) 的收藏。