Lot 668. A blue and white 'Spring banquet' brushpot, Qing dynasty, Kangxi period (1662-1722). Estimate 10,000 — 15,000 USD. Lot sold 52,500 USD. Photo: Sotheby's.  

of cylindrical form, painted in vibrant tones of cobalt depicting a lively gathering of poets under moonlight, seated around a table, imbibing wine, with brushes and scrolls nearby to capture the inspired moment, all set within a walled garden of budding trees hung with lanterns, inscribed with accompanying text by the Tang dynasty poet Li Bai, Chun yeyan taoliyuan xu (Spring Evening Banquet at the Peach and Pear Blossom Garden), the base partially unglazed and countersunk, wood stand (2). Diameter 7 1/4  in., 18.4 cm

Provenance: Collection of Henry Blank (1872-1949), Glen Ridge, New Jersey.
Parke-Bernet Galleries, Inc., New York, 9th December 1949, lot 222.

Note: The same scene is depicted on a smaller brushpot of slightly waisted cylindrical form  in the Palace Museum in Beijing and illustrated in Chen, Runmin, Gugong bowuyuan cang Qingdai ciqi leixuan, Qing Shunzhi Kangxi chao qinghuaci, vol.1, Beijing, 2004, pl. 211.