Lot 3576. An Underglaze-Red ‘Heron’ Pouring Vessel, Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). L 17.5cm. Sold for HKD 744,000 (Estimate HKD 280,000 - 450,000). © Poly Auction Hong Kong Limited 2022

This is of regular form, with a rounded belly and a shallow, unglazed, flat foot. There is a broad stream along one side of the mouth, with a small rounded band below. The lip is exposed and appears flint-red because of the overlay. The glaze is slightly greenish on a white ground, and the centre of the bottle is decorated with a band of white wavy lines on a red ground, with a heron standing proudly on the side of a lotus leaf, accompanied by branches and leaves on the left, the brushstrokes of which are free and the colour deep red. The waves are particularly distinctive, painted in copper-red glaze and then gently incised with a sharp tool to remove the coloured glaze before applying the glaze, leaving a white effect.

Provenance: Meiyintang Collection, Switzerland.

Exhibition: Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, British Museum, London, 1994

Published: Kang Ruijun, The Meiyintang Collection of Chinese Ceramics, vol. 2, London, 1994-2010, p. 13, no. 632.

Note: The wash basin was first used as a ceremonial vessel in the pre-Qin period for washing the hands of guests. During the Zhou dynasty, the vessels used evolved from plates and divorces to plates and washbasins. During the Yuan dynasty, washbasins became popular again, and in addition to porcelain, they were also made of silver and copper. It is also thought to have been a wine vessel, based on the 'Pucheng tomb murals' of the Yuan dynasty, which show that washbasins were used in conjunction with jade bottles and vases, as well as plates and calendars during the Yuan dynasty.

The egret was traditionally known as a 'bird of good fortune' and was painted with lotus flowers and reeds to signify 'a succession of academic achievements', a favourite motif of ancient scholars seeking success in their studies. In the second year of the Emperor's reign (1313), Yuan Emperor Renzong issued an imperial edict to reinstate the imperial examinations, saying, "The Emperor Shizuo set up officials to divide the duties and recruit scholars. It was recommended that the first priority in the examination should be virtue, and the second priority in the examination of arts should be scripture, followed by rhetoric.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version).

Poly Auction Hong Kong Limited. A Romance Among Blooming Roses: The Meiyintang Collection of Three Dynasties Imperial Ceramics, Hong Kong, 2 Dec 2021