A FINE CHINESE BLUE AND WHITE 'FIGURAL' SLEEVE VASE

£15,000 - £25,000

£60,480

A FINE CHINESE BLUE AND WHITE 'FIGURAL' SLEEVE VASE
TRANSITIONAL PERIOD C.1640

The cylindrical body finely incised with two floral anhua bands, rising to a waisted neck with a slightly everted rim decorated with borders of plantain leaves, painted with a narrative scene depicting an official and an attendant offering an osmanthus spray to a mother and son, surrounded by a troop of attendants bearing a parasol and polearms, 44.3cm.

Provenance: from the Mark and Elizabeth Harding Collection, South Africa.

The fragrant flower guihua, osmanthus, blooms during the eighth lunar month, coinciding with the Mid-Autumn Festival. It is also a homophone for nobility. The scene on this vase relates to the cherished custom of zhegui, which literally means picking an osmanthus branch. The phrase originates from a legend of a magnificent osmanthus tree flourishing in the Lunar Palace and it signifies an official's blooming career and symbolises the heartfelt wish for gaining noble status and success in the Imperial exams.

明末清初青花折桂高中圖筒瓶
來源：南非Mark及Elizabeth Harding 收藏。