A very rare famille rose tri-lobed vase, Yongzheng six-character mark in underglaze blue within a double square and of the period (1723-1735) © Christie's Image 2003

Each lobe of the squat, globular body delicately painted with flowering stems and branches including poppies (yingzisu) and asters (malan) on one, variously colored chrysanthemums (ju) on another, and wintersweet (lamei) and pinks (shizhu) on the third, the interior of the neck glazed turquoise below a brown wash on the unglazed rim, with a flat unglazed foot rim of conforming shape surrounding the slightly countersunk base; 4 3/8in. (11.1cm.) high. Lot 367. Estimate $80,000 - $100,000. Price Realized $113,525 

Provenance: Stephen Junkunc, III.
Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art from an American Private Collection, Christie's, New York, 21 September 1995, lot 259. 

Notes: This exquisite vase is a very rare example of this trilobate form decorated with famille rose enamels. Only one other vessel of this form appears to have been published. This is a Yongzheng porcelain vase with guan-type glaze, formerly in the collection of Sir Harry and Lady Garner, which was sold at Sotheby's, Hong Kong, 12 May 1976, lot 235. The current vase form does, however, relate closely to the Yongzheng unlobed vases of pomegranate shape illustrated by Geng Baochang in Ming Qing Ciqi Jianding, Hong Kong, 1993, pp. 236 and 238, pls. 402 and 405-19, respectively. The Yongzheng trilobate short-necked vase is, of course, also related to the long-necked trilobate vases of the Qianlong period, like those with added peach and children appliques from the Qing Court collection in the Palace Museum, Beijing illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum - Porcelains with Cloisonne Enamel Decoration and Famille Rose Decoration, vol. 39, Hong Kong, 1999, p. 157, no. 139 and p. 158, no. 140, respectively. There is also a relationship between the current Yongzheng form and the trilobate double-gourd vases of the Qianlong reign (for example the vase decorated with bats and gourds in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in the same volume, p. 133, no. 116).

The painting of the flowers on the current vase is particularly fine, with the different varieties of flowers grouped naturalistically, as well as being disposed over the surface of the vessel in a scheme most effectively complementing its shape. During the Yongzheng reign a 'painterly' style of porcelain painting flourished under the influence of the Jesuit artists at the Qing court. While many porcelain vessels painted in the famille rose palette were rendered with great attention to detail, few succeeded in evoking the natural form of the flowers as well as this vase. Each lobe is painted with an artistically composed group of varied flowers apparently rising from the base of the vase.

It is generally recognised that some of the finest flower painting on porcelain in the Yongzheng reign was influenced by the work of the great Qing artist Yun Shouping. The selection, arrangement and painting style of the flowers on this vase is undoubtedly reminiscent of the Yun Shouping masterpiece Hundred Flowers in the Style of Xu Chongsi, which was sold at Christie's, Hong Kong, 27 April 1997, lot 148. This scroll, painted in AD 1666, during the Kangxi reign, depicts groups of dissimilar flowers, as does the vase. On both the handscroll and the porcelain vessel, the combination of different flowers is handled with great skill and they complement each other, while still appearing natural. The individual floral elements are also reminiscent in style to those on the famous famille rose 'butterfly' vase from the Yuen Family collection, sold at Christie's, Hong Kong, 30 April 2000, lot 589. 

Christie's. FINE CHINESE CERAMICS AND WORKS OF ART, 18 September 2003, New York, Rockefeller Plaza