A famille verte yenyen vase. Kangxi

The two registers of design each depicting scenes from the Yuan Dynasty novel, 'Romance of the Western Chamber', Xijiang Ji, the upper register showing Zhang Sheng's sorrowful parting from Yingying, with his attandant standing by with his luggage on a pole, the lower register painted with Zhang Sheng's dream where he is confronted by warriors wielding sabres and torches, the scenes separated by a geometric border and a band of shaped cartouches enclosing lozenges and artemisia leaves reserved against a diaper ground.
45.9cm (18in) high. Estimate: £9,000 - 12,000

Footnote: The depictions of scenes from the Xixiang Ji on porcelain is discussed by C.Clunas, 'The West Chamber: A Literary Theme in Chinese Porcelain Decoration', Transactions of the Oriental Ceramic Society 46, 1980-1981, pp.69-86. The farewell between Yingying and Zhang Sheng is discussed in ibid, p.82, where a panel from the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, also showing this scene, is illustrated.

Bonham's. Fine Chinese Art, 14 May 2009. New Bond Street www.bonhams.com (Copyright © 2002-2009 Bonhams 1793 Ltd., Images and Text All Rights Reserved)