AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE CHINESE BLUE & WHITE "ELEPHANT" JAR, CHONGZHEN (1628-1644)

拍品描述

AN EXCEEDINGLY RARE CHINESE BLUE & WHITE "ELEPHANT" JAR, CHONGZHEN (1628-1644) A rare Chinese blue and white porcelain jar and cover, painted in rich cobalt tones with a continuous narrative scene centred on an elephant. The main scene shows an attendant standing on the elephant’s back, washing or tending it, while other figures appear among large plantain leaves, rockwork and garden details. The cover is decorated with further figures and foliage, with a short cylindrical neck and rounded blue knop. The subject is especially engaging: elephants in Chinese art were associated with strength, dignity and auspicious rule. They also carried Buddhist and courtly associations, and in late Ming porcelain they often appear in lively narrative or symbolic compositions. The combination of an elephant scene, figural decoration and a covered jar form makes this an unusual and desirable example. The Chongzhen period falls at the very end of the Ming dynasty, shortly before the Qing conquest. Porcelain from this moment is often admired for its expressive brushwork, strong cobalt blue and animated storytelling. Compared with more formal earlier Ming wares, Chongzhen blue and white pieces frequently have a looser, painterly quality, with figures, landscapes and dramatic scale used to create movement around the vessel. The images show a rounded ovoid body, fitted cover, unglazed footrim and visible age-related wear. There are firing specks, surface wear, and signs of old cracks or glaze lines visible in the photographs, particularly around the shoulder and body. Height: 30 cm

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