Qing Dynasty famille rose 'panel of figures' cong-form vase with elephant handles

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Qing Dynasty famille rose 'panel of figures' cong-form vase with elephant handles

Cong-style, with a square body, round mouth, short straight neck, and ring foot. Elephant-shaped double ears are affixed to both sides of the abdomen, with elephant trunks holding rings. The neck is adorned with brocade patterns. The shoulders have a light blue glazed base, painted with floral patterns. The surrounding areas have a yellow glazed base, covered with floral patterns, symmetrically arranged, creating a strong aesthetic appeal. The color is lighter at the turning points and raised areas such as the rim, bottle corners, and elephant ears, revealing glimpses of the white bisque, further emphasizing the piece's quiet and ancient simplicity.

Catalogue No.: 287

Height 20cm, Caliber 5.3cm

Starting bid: RMB 3,000

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Cong-shaped, with a square body, round mouth, short straight neck, and ring foot. The belly features elephant-shaped double ears on both sides, with elephant trunks holding rings. The neck is adorned with brocade patterns, and the shoulder, based on a light blue glaze, is painted with floral patterns. The surrounding areas are based on a yellow glaze, covered with floral patterns, centrally symmetrical, and full of aesthetic appeal. The color is lighter at the mouth rim, bottle body corners, and prominent turning points like the elephant ears, revealing the white biscuit, which further enhances the quiet and ancient charm of the entire piece. On the front and back openwork sections, human story patterns are painted. The elephant trunks and ears are fully covered with blue glaze, painted with elephant hair and eyes, showing exquisite craftsmanship and vivid imagery. Floral patterns are painted on the openwork sections on both sides. This style of square vase with elephant ears became popular from the Qianlong period, implicitly aligning with the ancient Chinese philosophy of "round heaven and square earth," symbolizing the auspicious meaning of "peace and prosperity everywhere" (literally "four directions, peace, and elephants"), and continued to be fired until the late Qing Dynasty. Firing square-shaped objects is more difficult; however, this piece has well-proportioned modeling and clear, smooth lines at the corners, truly a masterpiece.

Keywords:

荣艺庭芳中国近现代艺术品专场

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