Bonhams. FINE CHINESE ART, London, 12 November 2015
A fine and rare painted enamel hexagonal square vase, Blue enamel Qianlong seal mark and of the period
Lot 225. A fine and rare painted enamel hexagonal square vase, Blue enamel Qianlong seal mark and of the period (1736-1795); 16cm (6 2/8in) high. Estimate £ 8,000-12,000. Sold for £ 42,500 (€ 48,708). Courtesy Bonhams.
Elegantly proportioned, of archaistic bronze shape rising from a spreading foot, finely enamelled in colours with a profusion of scattered sprigs of floral blooms and fruits surrounding rococo panels incorporating butterflies, foliage, berries and apple-style fruits, all on a pink dotted ground, the bulbous central section further decorated with two cartouches depicting a European riverside scene dotted with buildings and trees, the tall spreading neck flanked by a pair of handles suspending loose rings, Japanese wood box.
Note: Compare with a related hexagonal painted enamel vase, Qianlong seal mark and of the period, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, of similar form with landscape panels rendered in Western style typical of the 18th century but of larger size, illustrated in Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum: Enamels 5, Painted Enamels in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Beijing, 2011, pl.70.