Decade 1740-1749
Except otherwise stated, all results include the premium.
See also : Canaletto China Chinese porcelain Qianlong Qing porcelain
See also : Canaletto China Chinese porcelain Qianlong Qing porcelain
BELLOTTO
1
1740 Grand Canal
2007 SOLD for $ 11M by Christie's
Bernardo Bellotto studied as a teenager in the workshop of Canaletto who was his mother's brother. He of course began by copying model paintings created by his uncle. For that reason it was much difficult to identify a copy made by Bernardo within the trade of Canaletto. Nevertheless he was highly talented and some specificities of his figures are now authenticated.
The autograph painting by Canaletto of the Grand Canal at the Church of San Stae (Sant' Eustachio) was made in the late 1730s in small format 47 x 78 cm in the series of views for the Duke of Marlborough.
Bernardo made his hand on this view ca 1740 when he was not yet 20. His oil on canvas 78 x 130 cm was sold for $ 11M by Christie's on April 19, 2007, lot 113. The image is shared by Wikimedia.
The large size make by Bernardo is brilliant in a confident hand, with much attention taken to tiny details such as tiles or ripples. The drawing follows very closely the master copy including the position of the characters in the gondolas and the shapes of the clouds.
A remake by Canaletto in the original format 47 x 78 cm was used in 1742 for an engraving. It was sold for £ 2.3M by Christie's on July 4, 1997, lot 120. The viewpoint, the clouds and the gondolas are different.
The autograph painting by Canaletto of the Grand Canal at the Church of San Stae (Sant' Eustachio) was made in the late 1730s in small format 47 x 78 cm in the series of views for the Duke of Marlborough.
Bernardo made his hand on this view ca 1740 when he was not yet 20. His oil on canvas 78 x 130 cm was sold for $ 11M by Christie's on April 19, 2007, lot 113. The image is shared by Wikimedia.
The large size make by Bernardo is brilliant in a confident hand, with much attention taken to tiny details such as tiles or ripples. The drawing follows very closely the master copy including the position of the characters in the gondolas and the shapes of the clouds.
A remake by Canaletto in the original format 47 x 78 cm was used in 1742 for an engraving. It was sold for £ 2.3M by Christie's on July 4, 1997, lot 120. The viewpoint, the clouds and the gondolas are different.
2
1745-1747 Verona
2021 SOLD for £ 10.6M by Christie's
From about 1738 Bernardo Bellotto had a highly effective training with his uncle Canaletto. He copied some views of Venice for his boss in larger size and vibrant colors. He was arguably more interested by architecture than by local life.
From 1740 the next phase was to conceive his own cityscapes. He then explored Italy southward to Rome and westward to Turin, probably to leave the business of Venice proper to Canaletto. He was using the same techniques as his uncle including sketching on the spot with the camera oscura and painting in the workshop.
A pair of views of Verona in oil on canvas has a very large size, 133 x 255 cm, probably made on commission ca 1745 for an unidentified patron.
One of them features the stone faced Ponte Navi with its medieval guethouse tower on the Adige river in the afternoon light. The well centered panorama displays both banks plus a ramp accessing a narrow river island. Bellotto observed in details the decay of that monumental bridge constructed in 1373. It was severely damaged by a flood in 1757 and the tower could not be reconstructed.
It was sold for £ 10.6M by Christie's on July 8, 2021, lot 9.
The pendant view is taken upstream from the Ponte Nuova with the Castel San Pietro. Bellotto painted simplified full size replicas of both views as specimens of his know how when he left Italy in the spring of 1747. The original view of the Ponte Navi was indeed the masterpiece that opened the rest of his career from Dresden to Warsaw.
From 1740 the next phase was to conceive his own cityscapes. He then explored Italy southward to Rome and westward to Turin, probably to leave the business of Venice proper to Canaletto. He was using the same techniques as his uncle including sketching on the spot with the camera oscura and painting in the workshop.
A pair of views of Verona in oil on canvas has a very large size, 133 x 255 cm, probably made on commission ca 1745 for an unidentified patron.
One of them features the stone faced Ponte Navi with its medieval guethouse tower on the Adige river in the afternoon light. The well centered panorama displays both banks plus a ramp accessing a narrow river island. Bellotto observed in details the decay of that monumental bridge constructed in 1373. It was severely damaged by a flood in 1757 and the tower could not be reconstructed.
It was sold for £ 10.6M by Christie's on July 8, 2021, lot 9.
The pendant view is taken upstream from the Ponte Nuova with the Castel San Pietro. Bellotto painted simplified full size replicas of both views as specimens of his know how when he left Italy in the spring of 1747. The original view of the Ponte Navi was indeed the masterpiece that opened the rest of his career from Dresden to Warsaw.
#AuctionUpdate The supreme masterpiece of Bellotto's early career, 'View of Verona with the Ponte delle Navi' achieved £10,575,000. The talented nephew of Canaletto, Bellotto is celebrated as one of the greatest topographical view painters.⠀ pic.twitter.com/kKnLHZ4fAL
— Christie's (@ChristiesInc) July 8, 2021
1741-1744 Pair of Qianlong Yangcai Double Gourds
1
Butterflies
2017 SOLD for £ 14.7M by Christie's
The Qianlong emperor promoted the copy of the best works of art from the past with the most recent techniques so that the achievements of his reign would appear as the pinnacle of civilization.
Superintendent Tang Ying was commissioning to the Jingdezhen workshops the most sensational pieces of porcelain capable of being approved by the emperor himself. One of his most remarkable breakthroughs was the development of yangcai enamels, a less expensive replacement for the falangcai which could only be made in a small workshop of the Beijing palace.
The porcelains of double gourd type are developed under the reign of the Yongzheng emperor. They reach a great elegance with his successor Qianlong : the much smaller upper bulb is often linked by two handles to the globular lower part.
Among the double gourd vases with handles, a blue and white 23 cm high with a pattern of lotus leaves was sold for HK $ 24M by Christie's on December 1, 2010, lot 3054.
Pairs are rare. One of them recently discovered in an English country house was sold for £ 14.7M by Christie's on May 9, 2017, lot 99. Each vase has the same shape and size as the blue and white example described above. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
In the same style of decoration, the details of both vases in that pair are different. They are painted with flowers and butterflies in yangcai enamels in an accumulation of auspices and symbols of seasons that was probably prepared for the birthday of some prestigious people. For the rebus so enjoyed at the imperial court the butterfly means 'repetition' by homophony, doubling the message of the auspice and the prediction of longevity.
The ground porcelain of this pair is pure white according to a usual practice during the Yongzheng period. Considering that a pink ground has been appreciated under Qianlong for pieces of the same theme, it is possible that this pair bearing his imperial mark was made early in his reign.
A reprimand expressed by Qianlong in 1741 CE led to a reinforced supervision by Tang Ying and his newly appointed assistant Laoge. It is a terminus post quem of the high quality porcelains made in Jingdezhen with the Qianlong imperial mark. The high skill required to the Jingdezhen workshops was maintained until the ninth year of Qianlong, 1744 CE.
Superintendent Tang Ying was commissioning to the Jingdezhen workshops the most sensational pieces of porcelain capable of being approved by the emperor himself. One of his most remarkable breakthroughs was the development of yangcai enamels, a less expensive replacement for the falangcai which could only be made in a small workshop of the Beijing palace.
The porcelains of double gourd type are developed under the reign of the Yongzheng emperor. They reach a great elegance with his successor Qianlong : the much smaller upper bulb is often linked by two handles to the globular lower part.
Among the double gourd vases with handles, a blue and white 23 cm high with a pattern of lotus leaves was sold for HK $ 24M by Christie's on December 1, 2010, lot 3054.
Pairs are rare. One of them recently discovered in an English country house was sold for £ 14.7M by Christie's on May 9, 2017, lot 99. Each vase has the same shape and size as the blue and white example described above. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
In the same style of decoration, the details of both vases in that pair are different. They are painted with flowers and butterflies in yangcai enamels in an accumulation of auspices and symbols of seasons that was probably prepared for the birthday of some prestigious people. For the rebus so enjoyed at the imperial court the butterfly means 'repetition' by homophony, doubling the message of the auspice and the prediction of longevity.
The ground porcelain of this pair is pure white according to a usual practice during the Yongzheng period. Considering that a pink ground has been appreciated under Qianlong for pieces of the same theme, it is possible that this pair bearing his imperial mark was made early in his reign.
A reprimand expressed by Qianlong in 1741 CE led to a reinforced supervision by Tang Ying and his newly appointed assistant Laoge. It is a terminus post quem of the high quality porcelains made in Jingdezhen with the Qianlong imperial mark. The high skill required to the Jingdezhen workshops was maintained until the ninth year of Qianlong, 1744 CE.
£2 Million Qianlong Emperor vases found by an expert during routine eval., will be sold at #Christies May 9thhttps://t.co/1vTNRboDsG pic.twitter.com/OcZxtHkx91
— ePaiLive (@ePaiLive) May 2, 2017
2
Five Bats
2012 SOLD for HK$ 107M by Sotheby's
A pair of vases 18cm high bearing the Qianlong imperial mark, sold for HK $ 107M from a lower estimate of HK $ 40M by Sotheby's on October 9, 2012, is an exquisite example from the beginning of his reign, lot 3024. The variety of colors is the culmination of the yangcai, prepared for imperial use.
The flattened double gourd shape is delicately artistic, with its bulb in the middle of the neck and its pretty winding handles.
On a rich yellow background, the central iron red medallion is circled by five confronting open winged bats of same color in a surrounding of leaves and scrolls. The interiors and the bases are glazed in soft pale turquoise. No identical vase is known.
Five bats represent the ‘Five Blessings’ of old age, wealth, health, love of virtue and a peaceful death. Such auspicious dedication is generally applied for a birthday or wedding gift in the imperial family. The homophony 'fu' means bat and blessing.
The flattened double gourd shape is delicately artistic, with its bulb in the middle of the neck and its pretty winding handles.
On a rich yellow background, the central iron red medallion is circled by five confronting open winged bats of same color in a surrounding of leaves and scrolls. The interiors and the bases are glazed in soft pale turquoise. No identical vase is known.
Five bats represent the ‘Five Blessings’ of old age, wealth, health, love of virtue and a peaceful death. Such auspicious dedication is generally applied for a birthday or wedding gift in the imperial family. The homophony 'fu' means bat and blessing.
1742-1744 Four Seasons Bottle Vase
2010 SOLD for HK$ 140M by Sotheby's
The ancient Chinese art is a continuum, each new work referencing to past shapes and techniques that can go back to antiquity.
Thus, a pair of enameled porcelain bottle vases 19 cm high made in the Imperial workshops and bearing the mark of Qianlong is an example of extreme refinement with a harmonious synthesis of styles.
The spherical body of each piece is decorated with four medallions showing the flowers of the four seasons, in a festival of colors that imitates the supreme Chinese art of the Beijing enamel glass.
The background of the sphere and the tall arched neck display traditional and Western influences by imitating the themes of enameled copper.
The two vases are illustrated with the same flowers under slightly different arrangements. They were listed separately at Sotheby's on October 7, 2010. One of them was sold for HK $ 140M from a lower estimate of HK $ 60M, lot 2123. The other, hampered by a long crack, was sold for HK $ 32M, lot 2124.
Grok thought from an ArtHitParade tweet :
The pair of Qianlong imperial famille-rose bottle vases sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in 2010 (lots 2123 & 2124) can be dated with considerable precision thanks to the style, technique, palette, and reign-mark type.Estimated execution date: circa 1740 – circa 1745, with the most likely window being 1742–1744.
Reasons for this narrow dating:
While Qianlong porcelain can sometimes be difficult to pinpoint within a 20-year window, this particular pair belongs to the very highest-quality early Qianlong production and is almost universally accepted by specialists as having been made circa 1742–1745, with 1743 being the single most commonly cited year.
Thus, a pair of enameled porcelain bottle vases 19 cm high made in the Imperial workshops and bearing the mark of Qianlong is an example of extreme refinement with a harmonious synthesis of styles.
The spherical body of each piece is decorated with four medallions showing the flowers of the four seasons, in a festival of colors that imitates the supreme Chinese art of the Beijing enamel glass.
The background of the sphere and the tall arched neck display traditional and Western influences by imitating the themes of enameled copper.
The two vases are illustrated with the same flowers under slightly different arrangements. They were listed separately at Sotheby's on October 7, 2010. One of them was sold for HK $ 140M from a lower estimate of HK $ 60M, lot 2123. The other, hampered by a long crack, was sold for HK $ 32M, lot 2124.
Grok thought from an ArtHitParade tweet :
- This 2010 X post by @ArtHitParade previews a Sotheby's Hong Kong auction lot featuring a pair of imperial Qianlong famille-rose bottle vases, enameled with floral medallions and bats for auspicious symbolism.
- Crafted in the Qianlong period (1735-1796), the vases exemplify advanced overglaze enamel techniques developed in palace workshops, with provenance tracing to 19th-century collector Alfred E. Hippisley and exhibition at the Smithsonian from 1887-1912.
- Offered as lots 2123 (estimate HK$60-80 million) and 2124 (HK$8-12 million), the best preserved fetched HK$140 million ($18 million USD) on October 7, 2010, exceeding estimates amid a surging Chinese art market highlighted by a concurrent world-record vase sale.
The pair of Qianlong imperial famille-rose bottle vases sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in 2010 (lots 2123 & 2124) can be dated with considerable precision thanks to the style, technique, palette, and reign-mark type.Estimated execution date: circa 1740 – circa 1745, with the most likely window being 1742–1744.
Reasons for this narrow dating:
- Reign mark style
The vases bear a six-character seal-script mark in underglaze blue reading Da Qing Qianlong fang gu 大清乾隆仿古 (“Made in the Great Qing Qianlong period, in imitation of antiquity”).
This particular formulation and the exact calligraphy style of the seal script were used almost exclusively in the early to mid-1740s. By the late 1740s the wording shifts to the more common Da Qing Qianlong nian zhi standard mark. - Technical and stylistic features typical of Tang Ying’s early directorship
Tang Ying (1682–1756), the greatest superintendent of the imperial kilns in Jingdezhen, took full control in 1736. The very finest and most innovative famille-rose wares with flawless enamelling, extremely thin potting, and complex auspicious designs (bats, lotus scrolls, peaches, etc.) date from his first decade. The combination seen on these vases — brilliant ruby-back pink ground, turquoise interior, and extremely fine overglaze enamelling — peaks around 1740–1745. - Design vocabulary
The “five bats” (wufu 五蝠) surrounding a shou medallions, the use of a ruby-pink ground with floral reserves, and the archaistic dragon handles are all motifs that were especially favoured in the early 1740s, before the palette shifted toward heavier use of yellow grounds and yangcai polychrome in the 1750s–1770s. - Comparative dated or narrowly dated pieces
- A very similar ruby-ground vase with almost identical mark and dragons is in the Nanjing Museum and dated to 1743.
- The famous “peach-bloom revival” vases with the same fang gu mark in the Palace Museum, Beijing are catalogued as 1742–1745.
- The pair sold in 2010 has long been published (e.g., in Sotheby’s own research and in later Chinese auction catalogues) as “circa 1742–1745”.
While Qianlong porcelain can sometimes be difficult to pinpoint within a 20-year window, this particular pair belongs to the very highest-quality early Qianlong production and is almost universally accepted by specialists as having been made circa 1742–1745, with 1743 being the single most commonly cited year.
Qianlong Yangcai Reticulated Vase
1
1743
2010 UNPAID at £ 43M plus a buyer's premium of £ 8.6M, at Bainbridges
In 1728 CE, Tang Ying is appointed by the Yongzheng emperor as the Superintendent of the Imperial porcelain produced at Jingdezhen. He spends several years observing the best practices of the potters. One of his first major successes is the development of the yangcai, offering a less expensive substitute to the Imperial City's falangcai that remains the high end.
These first years are experimental, with pieces of all shapes. Qianlong who succeeds Yongzheng in 1735 CE is just as demanding as his father. To please him, they must constantly bring novelties that match his ambitious role as Son of Heaven, accumulating the styles of all dynasties and integrating the new European trends.
In the early 1740s Tang Ying's expertise in Jingdezhen has no limits. The most complicated pieces are technological syntheses that require a long succession of firings at the risk of a low yield.
In a memorandum submitted to Qianlong in 1743 CE, Tang Ying apologizes for the small amount of units produced in the new style of double vase, only nine. The inner part is enclosed in the outer vase with a distance of about 3 to 4 cm between their walls. The outer vase is pierced by large holes of various elegant shapes that allow the peeping to the inner part. The exterior is decorated with the same profusion as more classical imperial pieces.
Qianlong does not request the impossible. He authorizes to complete in pairs those models that had been produced in single pieces before suspending this technique sine die.
A baluster shaped reticulated vase with auspicious pairs of fishes surfaced in Middlesex in 2010. 41 cm high, it mixes archaic, Song, Buddhist and rocaille inspirations, juxtaposing the classic celadon and the modern yangcai in a yellow ground with sgraffiato. The inner wall is an underglaze blue on white in Ming style. The window is intricately carved throughout the perimeter of the lower body similarly as for the first prototype, but with the exception of the four evenly spaced gilt-rimmed fish medallions carved in relief. It does not have handles.
After 30 minutes of bidding at lot 800 on November 11, 2010, Bainbridges's hammer fell at £ 43M, £ 51.6M including the premium, but the payment failed and the sale was cancelled. Here is the link to the 2012 report by The Telegraph before the sale was cancelled. The vase was privately sold by Bonhams two years later.
Detailed Description by Grok :
Bainbridges Vase (Lot 800, 2010)
Description & Form
Double-walled reticulated vase with famille rose enameling; pierced body featuring four gilt-rimmed medallions with twin fish (symbolizing marital harmony) among waves, lotus scrolls, and chilong dragons in shaded iron-red on a gilt ground; flared neck and foot with key-fret borders; height 41 cm.
Decoration & Technique
Famille rose enamels with shaded iron-red and gilt details; reticulated band with blue enamel borders; inner wall possibly with related fish motifs (per catalog comparables). Focuses on marine and floral motifs for harmony and abundance.
Provenance & History
Discovered in 2010 during clearance of a Pinner, UK, home (former residence of Emily Newman, d. 2010); inherited by Tony Johnson and family. Attributed to Qianlong imperial kilns; no pre-20th-century provenance noted.
Auction Outcome
Hammer at £43 million, but cancelled; resold privately via Bonhams for ~£25 million in 2013 to a Far Eastern buyer.
Rarity & Significance
Rare yangcai reticulated "jiqingyouyu" (auspicious fish) type; comparables include blue-ground revolving vases in museums. Gained fame as the "Pinner Vase" for its dramatic story.
These first years are experimental, with pieces of all shapes. Qianlong who succeeds Yongzheng in 1735 CE is just as demanding as his father. To please him, they must constantly bring novelties that match his ambitious role as Son of Heaven, accumulating the styles of all dynasties and integrating the new European trends.
In the early 1740s Tang Ying's expertise in Jingdezhen has no limits. The most complicated pieces are technological syntheses that require a long succession of firings at the risk of a low yield.
In a memorandum submitted to Qianlong in 1743 CE, Tang Ying apologizes for the small amount of units produced in the new style of double vase, only nine. The inner part is enclosed in the outer vase with a distance of about 3 to 4 cm between their walls. The outer vase is pierced by large holes of various elegant shapes that allow the peeping to the inner part. The exterior is decorated with the same profusion as more classical imperial pieces.
Qianlong does not request the impossible. He authorizes to complete in pairs those models that had been produced in single pieces before suspending this technique sine die.
A baluster shaped reticulated vase with auspicious pairs of fishes surfaced in Middlesex in 2010. 41 cm high, it mixes archaic, Song, Buddhist and rocaille inspirations, juxtaposing the classic celadon and the modern yangcai in a yellow ground with sgraffiato. The inner wall is an underglaze blue on white in Ming style. The window is intricately carved throughout the perimeter of the lower body similarly as for the first prototype, but with the exception of the four evenly spaced gilt-rimmed fish medallions carved in relief. It does not have handles.
After 30 minutes of bidding at lot 800 on November 11, 2010, Bainbridges's hammer fell at £ 43M, £ 51.6M including the premium, but the payment failed and the sale was cancelled. Here is the link to the 2012 report by The Telegraph before the sale was cancelled. The vase was privately sold by Bonhams two years later.
Detailed Description by Grok :
Bainbridges Vase (Lot 800, 2010)
Description & Form
Double-walled reticulated vase with famille rose enameling; pierced body featuring four gilt-rimmed medallions with twin fish (symbolizing marital harmony) among waves, lotus scrolls, and chilong dragons in shaded iron-red on a gilt ground; flared neck and foot with key-fret borders; height 41 cm.
Decoration & Technique
Famille rose enamels with shaded iron-red and gilt details; reticulated band with blue enamel borders; inner wall possibly with related fish motifs (per catalog comparables). Focuses on marine and floral motifs for harmony and abundance.
Provenance & History
Discovered in 2010 during clearance of a Pinner, UK, home (former residence of Emily Newman, d. 2010); inherited by Tony Johnson and family. Attributed to Qianlong imperial kilns; no pre-20th-century provenance noted.
Auction Outcome
Hammer at £43 million, but cancelled; resold privately via Bonhams for ~£25 million in 2013 to a Far Eastern buyer.
Rarity & Significance
Rare yangcai reticulated "jiqingyouyu" (auspicious fish) type; comparables include blue-ground revolving vases in museums. Gained fame as the "Pinner Vase" for its dramatic story.
The most expensive Chinese vase
— King Selorm1 (@Selorm1King) March 13, 2023
In 2010, at an English auction Bainbridges it was sold for a record 85 million dollars. The buyer was an anonymous collector from Beijing and the vase thus returned to the motherland it left in 1860 during the Second Opium War. pic.twitter.com/4ZcrT1avtW
2
1742-1743
2018 SOLD for HK$ 150M by Sotheby's
In 2010 nobody had considered the catalog of the exhibition in New York in 1905 of a Japanese collection where its pairing piece had been photographed and described. This vase has resurfaced. It was sold for HK $ 150M from a lower estimate of HK $ 50M by Sotheby's on October 3, 2018, lot 3001.
It differs from the Middlesex specimen by a rarer variant of the reign mark and so may be the master item produced for that pair.
It differs from the Middlesex specimen by a rarer variant of the reign mark and so may be the master item produced for that pair.
The pair to the famous ‘Bainbridge vase’ – sensationally knocked down at £43m in 2010 but later sold for half of that sum after the buyer failed to pay – has to come to @Sothebys:https://t.co/RmkAXYiHnM pic.twitter.com/i8m8Q0Vjcp
— AntiquesTradeGazette (@ATG_Editorial) August 14, 2018
3
1743 Heaven and Earth Vase
2022 SOLD for HK$ 177M by Sotheby's
A 31 cm overall reticulated vase made in Jingdezhen with the imperial Qianlong mark was sold for HK $ 177M from a lowrt estimate of HK $ 60M by Sotheby's on October 9, 2022, lot 3801. Such an interlocking and revolving design was recorded as jiaotai in 1743 CE in the imperial archives one month after the Longquan style.
The outer vase is a classical pear shaped decorated in yangcai with ruyi lines and lotus flowers. Its background is red ruby. It is incised in sgraffiato. Its pairing vase, also known in Sotheby's archives, has a rib below the neck. A smaller pair made in the next year has a bright yellow ground. Another pair was made in 1746.
The actual body inside that envelope is a revolving inner tube, terminated by the trumpet shaped finial in pale ground with two handles. It is painted in its lower part with underglaze-blue lotus scrolls in early Ming style.
The two sets of four small windows over and under a continuous line of ruyi heads are made of patterns of three straight rows, either in full length or divided to symbolize the eight trigrams of heaven and earth. The Chinese word of this figure is qian which is the first part of Qianlong reign title.
Obviously the tubular shape of the inner vase would not allow a comfortable view from the central distance of the outer wall. It is a major difference from the all around view in the non revolving Longquan type.
Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
Grok thought :
Quote
Sotheby's @Sothebys Oct 1, 2022
This Qianlong yangcai reticulated vase tells the story of an emperor's approval and Tang Ying's redemption. This autumn, #SothebyHongKong will offer the extremely rare ruby-ground yangcai "trigram" reticulated vase from the Dr Wou Kiuan Collection: http://bit.ly/3BR9bLb
The outer vase is a classical pear shaped decorated in yangcai with ruyi lines and lotus flowers. Its background is red ruby. It is incised in sgraffiato. Its pairing vase, also known in Sotheby's archives, has a rib below the neck. A smaller pair made in the next year has a bright yellow ground. Another pair was made in 1746.
The actual body inside that envelope is a revolving inner tube, terminated by the trumpet shaped finial in pale ground with two handles. It is painted in its lower part with underglaze-blue lotus scrolls in early Ming style.
The two sets of four small windows over and under a continuous line of ruyi heads are made of patterns of three straight rows, either in full length or divided to symbolize the eight trigrams of heaven and earth. The Chinese word of this figure is qian which is the first part of Qianlong reign title.
Obviously the tubular shape of the inner vase would not allow a comfortable view from the central distance of the outer wall. It is a major difference from the all around view in the non revolving Longquan type.
Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
Grok thought :
Quote
Sotheby's @Sothebys Oct 1, 2022
This Qianlong yangcai reticulated vase tells the story of an emperor's approval and Tang Ying's redemption. This autumn, #SothebyHongKong will offer the extremely rare ruby-ground yangcai "trigram" reticulated vase from the Dr Wou Kiuan Collection: http://bit.ly/3BR9bLb
- Sotheby's 2022 post promotes a rare ruby-ground yangcai reticulated vase from the Qianlong era (1736-1795), featuring intricate pierced trigrams and a revolving mechanism, estimated at HK$60-120 million for its Hong Kong auction.
- The attached video narrates the vase's origin story: porcelain master Tang Ying, demoted in 1763 for subpar works, redeemed himself by crafting this masterpiece, earning Emperor Qianlong's approval after burning prior failures.
- The vase, from the Dr. Wou Kiuan Collection, sold for HK$152 million to a Taiwanese buyer, highlighting its technical innovation and status as one of few surviving imperial yangcai pieces.
Undated Qianlong Cimu Vase
2014 SOLD for $ 24.7M by Skinner
The cimu meaning mother of porcelains is a vase of the most exceptional size and complexity. It is usually made using a dozen glazing techniques, and has to go through many complicated processes during manufacture.
The technical feat and the rarity converge to suppose that it mas made in the period of the Tang Ying supervision under the authority of the Qianlong emperor, before 1744 CE.
A cimu 87 cm high with a 27.3 cm mouth width surfaced in New England. The body is made of twelve rectangular panels of varied themes including flowers and landscapes, half of them in fencai. It bears the imperial mark of Qianlong under the base.
It was sold for $ 24.7M from a lower estimate of $ 150K by Skinner on September 17, 2014, lot 96. It is damaged with some cracks and scratches and underwent minor repairs in five places. It is illustrated in the post sale report by ChinaCulture.
The only pairing example of its size and decoration is kept at the National Palace Museum in Beijing.
The technical feat and the rarity converge to suppose that it mas made in the period of the Tang Ying supervision under the authority of the Qianlong emperor, before 1744 CE.
A cimu 87 cm high with a 27.3 cm mouth width surfaced in New England. The body is made of twelve rectangular panels of varied themes including flowers and landscapes, half of them in fencai. It bears the imperial mark of Qianlong under the base.
It was sold for $ 24.7M from a lower estimate of $ 150K by Skinner on September 17, 2014, lot 96. It is damaged with some cracks and scratches and underwent minor repairs in five places. It is illustrated in the post sale report by ChinaCulture.
The only pairing example of its size and decoration is kept at the National Palace Museum in Beijing.
< 1745 The Poem of the Ten Stones
2010 SOLD for HK$ 90M by Sotheby's (probably unpaid)
2012 SOLD for HK$ 70 M by Sotheby's
In China, the best literary and artistic works transcend time. The emperors themselves have contributed over the centuries to transmit and highlight the most outstanding of them.
A scroll of Qianlong period listed by Sotheby's on October 9, 2012, finds its cultural roots in the deepest ages. It was sold for HK $ 70M, lot 3007. This piece had been previously sold in the same auction room on October 7, 2010 for HK$ 90M from a lower estimate of HK$ 15M, lot 2104. The provenance in the 2012 catalogue does not refer to the 2010 sale. I guess that it had been unpaid in 2010.
The Shaanxi province is considered as one of the cradles of Chinese culture. About 2500 years ago, Qin scribes have engraved in granite short poems on the themes of fishing, hunting and war.
The discovery during the Tang dynasty, 1200 years ago, of a group of ten drum-shaped carved poem-sculptures created an intense cultural emotion, an evidence of the importance that the Chinese already granted to their past. Even more amazing: the Chinese science was already the subject of publications. The Confucian philosopher Han Yu is one of those who wrote texts in tribute to the ten stones, the Shigu ge.
Now jump nine centuries. Zhang Zhao is a poor minister but a recognized scholar and Qianlong, rather than having him executed after a failed mission, sends him back to his beloved studies. This is probably after this incident that he copied the Shigu ge of Han Yu.
Zhang died suddenly during the tenth year of the reign of Qianlong. The Emperor continued to admire above all the cursive calligraphy of Zhang.
During the gengxu year, the 55th of his reign, 1790 CE, Qianlong ordered to preserve the text of the ten stones threatened by abrasion and renewed his interest in the Shigu ge of Zhang. He added a preface and inked the mark of 33 imperial seals attesting to all the reasons of his admiration for this scroll.
The Shigu ge is 55 cm high and 7.90 m long, extended by the frontispiece of the emperor, 46 x 103 cm.
A scroll of Qianlong period listed by Sotheby's on October 9, 2012, finds its cultural roots in the deepest ages. It was sold for HK $ 70M, lot 3007. This piece had been previously sold in the same auction room on October 7, 2010 for HK$ 90M from a lower estimate of HK$ 15M, lot 2104. The provenance in the 2012 catalogue does not refer to the 2010 sale. I guess that it had been unpaid in 2010.
The Shaanxi province is considered as one of the cradles of Chinese culture. About 2500 years ago, Qin scribes have engraved in granite short poems on the themes of fishing, hunting and war.
The discovery during the Tang dynasty, 1200 years ago, of a group of ten drum-shaped carved poem-sculptures created an intense cultural emotion, an evidence of the importance that the Chinese already granted to their past. Even more amazing: the Chinese science was already the subject of publications. The Confucian philosopher Han Yu is one of those who wrote texts in tribute to the ten stones, the Shigu ge.
Now jump nine centuries. Zhang Zhao is a poor minister but a recognized scholar and Qianlong, rather than having him executed after a failed mission, sends him back to his beloved studies. This is probably after this incident that he copied the Shigu ge of Han Yu.
Zhang died suddenly during the tenth year of the reign of Qianlong. The Emperor continued to admire above all the cursive calligraphy of Zhang.
During the gengxu year, the 55th of his reign, 1790 CE, Qianlong ordered to preserve the text of the ten stones threatened by abrasion and renewed his interest in the Shigu ge of Zhang. He added a preface and inked the mark of 33 imperial seals attesting to all the reasons of his admiration for this scroll.
The Shigu ge is 55 cm high and 7.90 m long, extended by the frontispiece of the emperor, 46 x 103 cm.
masterpiece
1743 il Cannone Guarnerius Del Gesu Violin, ex Paganini
Palazzo Doria-Torsi, Genoa
From 1737 Guarneri Del Gesu took a lesser care to the quality of the finish.
His most desirable instruments nevertheless belong to that last period. They include Paganini's preferred violin, made in 1743 and an ex Menuhin made in 1742. Private sales have included the ex Vieuxtemps made ca 1741, sold for nearly $ 18M in 2013, and the Kochanski made in the same year and sold for $ 10M in 2009.
The ex Paganini was nicknamed il Cannone by the maestro for referring to the explosive sound that he was able to produce with it.
Del Gesu died in 1744.
The image is shared by Wikimedia with attribution Sailko, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
His most desirable instruments nevertheless belong to that last period. They include Paganini's preferred violin, made in 1743 and an ex Menuhin made in 1742. Private sales have included the ex Vieuxtemps made ca 1741, sold for nearly $ 18M in 2013, and the Kochanski made in the same year and sold for $ 10M in 2009.
The ex Paganini was nicknamed il Cannone by the maestro for referring to the explosive sound that he was able to produce with it.
Del Gesu died in 1744.
The image is shared by Wikimedia with attribution Sailko, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
1747 Qianlong Military Parade
2011 SOLD for € 22M by Marc Labarbe
Qianlong was only 24 when he became emperor of China. For establishing his authority, he has prepared a huge military parade in the best tradition of the Qing Dynasty. It will be held early in the fourth year of his reign.
The objective is achieved: the power of the young emperor is not disputed. To the delight of current enthusiasts and historians, Qianlong was to become the most important art collector and patron of all time.
At the tenth year of his reign, Qianlong wants to fix the memory of this great revue. He orders the artist Jin Kun to realize four huge scrolls on silk with the help of the official court painters. Fifteen months later, 1747 CE, the four works are ready to be assembled in their presentation boxes.
These paintings show the festivities in a chronological order. The second, 68 x 1757 cm, is kept at the Palace Museum in Beijing. The third, 68 cm x 1550, was sold HK $ 68M by Sotheby's on October 8, 2008. The catalog of that sale indicated that the other two were lost.
The French market for ancient Chinese art had been boosted after the scandal of the bronzes of the Saint-Laurent - Bergé collection. The fourth scroll resurfaced.
With the same height as the others, it is the longest: the incredible multitude of troops occupies 18 m of image. A primer including testimonials and seals increases this length to 24 m, on a diameter of 12 cm when rolled.
This piece was sold for € 22M by Marc Labarbe on March 26, 2011.
The objective is achieved: the power of the young emperor is not disputed. To the delight of current enthusiasts and historians, Qianlong was to become the most important art collector and patron of all time.
At the tenth year of his reign, Qianlong wants to fix the memory of this great revue. He orders the artist Jin Kun to realize four huge scrolls on silk with the help of the official court painters. Fifteen months later, 1747 CE, the four works are ready to be assembled in their presentation boxes.
These paintings show the festivities in a chronological order. The second, 68 x 1757 cm, is kept at the Palace Museum in Beijing. The third, 68 cm x 1550, was sold HK $ 68M by Sotheby's on October 8, 2008. The catalog of that sale indicated that the other two were lost.
The French market for ancient Chinese art had been boosted after the scandal of the bronzes of the Saint-Laurent - Bergé collection. The fourth scroll resurfaced.
With the same height as the others, it is the longest: the incredible multitude of troops occupies 18 m of image. A primer including testimonials and seals increases this length to 24 m, on a diameter of 12 cm when rolled.
This piece was sold for € 22M by Marc Labarbe on March 26, 2011.
1749 The Old Horse Guards by Canaletto
1992 SOLD for £ 10M by Christie's
Canaletto sold his views of Venice to British tourists who were very active in the 1730s. When the Austrian Succession War reduced the travel opportunities of his patrons, he moved his studio to London, in 1746.
Being a foreigner in this big city in perpetual transformation, he did not try to express the atmosphere of remote districts and focused on a limited number of topics including the banks of the Thames and the great plaza of St. James's Park in Westminster.
The view of the Horse Guards across St. James's is one of his masterpieces by its monumental size, 117 x 236 cm. This oil on canvas was sold for £ 10M by Christie's on April 15, 1992. It is currently on long-term loan to the Tate Gallery by the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation. The image is shared by Wikimedia.
Canaletto displays the old red brick building of the Horse Guards. Two sketches that have been preserved assess that the artist had been appealed by the announcement of the imminent destruction of the building in 1749. The oil on canvas was probably painted in May or June 1749 and was certainly the view of St. James's Park advertised by the artist in July 1749 as a demonstrator of his art for his visitors.
A smaller painting, 47 x 77 cm, has also be made in the same period. It is less panoramic and better focused on the Old Horse Guards and on the spring green of the Park. It had been sold for £ 1.1M by Christie's on July 4, 1997, lot 121 and passed at Sotheby's on January 29, 2015, lot 98.
Really passionate about this fate of a monument, Canaletto observed again this scenery three years later with the scaffolding of the new building. This oil on panel 59 x 110 cm passed in 2012 at Dorotheum on October 17, 2012.
Being a foreigner in this big city in perpetual transformation, he did not try to express the atmosphere of remote districts and focused on a limited number of topics including the banks of the Thames and the great plaza of St. James's Park in Westminster.
The view of the Horse Guards across St. James's is one of his masterpieces by its monumental size, 117 x 236 cm. This oil on canvas was sold for £ 10M by Christie's on April 15, 1992. It is currently on long-term loan to the Tate Gallery by the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation. The image is shared by Wikimedia.
Canaletto displays the old red brick building of the Horse Guards. Two sketches that have been preserved assess that the artist had been appealed by the announcement of the imminent destruction of the building in 1749. The oil on canvas was probably painted in May or June 1749 and was certainly the view of St. James's Park advertised by the artist in July 1749 as a demonstrator of his art for his visitors.
A smaller painting, 47 x 77 cm, has also be made in the same period. It is less panoramic and better focused on the Old Horse Guards and on the spring green of the Park. It had been sold for £ 1.1M by Christie's on July 4, 1997, lot 121 and passed at Sotheby's on January 29, 2015, lot 98.
Really passionate about this fate of a monument, Canaletto observed again this scenery three years later with the scaffolding of the new building. This oil on panel 59 x 110 cm passed in 2012 at Dorotheum on October 17, 2012.
