Lot 1073. A large and very rare fahua 'peacock' jar, Hongzhi period (1488-1505); 38.2 cm high, Japanese wood box. Price realised USD 252,000 (Estimate USD 150,000 – USD 250,000) © Christie's 2023

Provenance: Private collection, Japan.
Eskenazi Ltd., London.
Daijindo, Tokyo.
Important private institution, Japan.

Note: The term fahua, which translates to ‘designs with borders,’ was coined by collectors in the 1920s. Fine relief lines of clay slip were applied to the surface of the ceramic item and these lines served as outlines to the design and also created bounded areas in which to apply relatively low-firing alkaline glazes of different colors.

The technique was first produced during the Yuan dynasty in Shanxi province, but by the Yongle period, they were made in southern Shanxi province. In the early 15th century, porcelain kilns in Jingdezhen started to manufacture much more refined, high-fired fahua vessels (see R. Scott and R. Kerr, Ceramic Evolution of the Middle Ming Period, London, 1994, p. 11).

The palette used on the current jar of deep cobalt blue, vivid copper turquoise, brilliant white and yellow was to become the most popular color combination on fahua porcelains of the late 15th and early 16th century. On the majority of 15th century fahua vessels, cobalt blue was used as the ground color, as is seen on the current jar, while on a small number of vessels, turquoise was used as the ground color. The use of a thin copper green glaze on the interior of the current jar is common to many closed-form fahua porcelain vessels. It is also worth noting that the shape of the current jar with its broad, rounded shoulders, tapering sides and slightly compressed profile was one that rose in popularity in the Chenghua reign.

Christie's. Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, New York, 21 sept. & 22 sept. 2023