The Yongzheng emperor sought to see celebrated past masterpieces replicated as a reminder of the nation’s glorious past. Official stonewares of the Song dynasty (960-1279) and blue-and-white porcelain of the Ming period from the Imperial collection became models that provided the standard for the Jingdezhen potters to aspire to. These later pieces generally were not straight copies; rather the form and design of the original were reinterpreted to suit contemporary taste under the supervision of Jingdezhen’s most celebrated superintendent, Tang Ying (1682-1756). From the age of sixteen, Tang started his career working at the Zaobanchu (Imperial Household Workshops) and during Kangxi’s reign he served in the Yangxin Dian (Hall of Mental Cultivation) where he learned painting, poetry, calligraphy, prose, drama and other forms of scholarly arts. This exposure to the art collection of the imperial collection formed the foundation on which he would draw inspiration for his designs throughout his long and illustrious career.

The present lot has been inspired by a Yongle prototype such as that found in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, illustrated in Blue and White Ware of the Ming Dynasty, bk. 1, Hong Kong, 1963, pl. 4. This moonflask carefully follows the general form and composition of the Ming original with the mixed flower scroll on the body and further flower scrolls on the neck and handles. The craftsman has also attempted to imitate the mottled ‘heaping and piling’ effect characteristic of early 15th century blue and white wares through a deliberate application of darker spots to the design. In a display of his proficiency in the cobalt blue medium, the re-creation is particularly subtle and close to 15th century wares.