Rare vase en porcelaine wucai, gu. Chine, dynastie Ming, marque à six caractères et époque Wanli (1573-1619). Photo: Christie's Images Ltd. 2011

Le pied et le col évasés à décor de dragons, la panse globulaire ornée d'oiseaux et branchages fleuris, marque à six caractères de l'Empereur Wanli en bleu sous couverte à la base ; le col réduit. Hauteur: 34,5 cm. (13 5/8 in.). Estimate: €30,000 - €40,000($43,943 - $58,591). Price Realized €37,000 ($54,158)

Provenance: From a French private collection

Notes: Modelled after the ancient bronze form known as gu, vases of this type and large size appear to be quite rare. Another vase of the same period, similar in form and size is illustrated by John Ayers in Far Eastern Ceramics in the Victoria and Albert Museum, Tokyo, 1990, pl. 171, and another one in the Palace Museum, Beijing, is illustrated in Porcelains in Polychrome and Contrasting Colours - The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Hong Kong, 1999, pl. 34.

Christie's. Art d'Asie, 7 June 2011, Paris www.christies.com