A Chinese blue and white 'Xi Xiang Ji' brushpot (Bitong), Ch...

Hammer

€18,500

A Chinese blue and white 'Xi Xiang Ji' brushpot (Bitong), Chenghua mark, Kangxi

Dia.: 10,7 cm - H.: 12,5 cm

Provenance:
- Marc Michot, Bruges.
- The Mr. and Mrs. Baert-Devos Collection, Belgium. Acquired from the above in 1983 and accompanied by a copy of their certificate of authenticity. (see added scan)

A cylindrical brushpot with a gently flaring mouth rim and foot, finely decorated in underglaze cobalt blue with a scene from The Romance of the Western Chamber (Xixiang Ji). The scene depicts the scholar Zhang Sheng being guided by an abbot carrying a fly-whisk. They encounter the young noblewoman Cui Yingying, who is strolling with her maid Hongniang in a garden setting. Yingying gracefully raises her fan to partially conceal her face, while Zhang Sheng is immediately captivated by her beauty, marking the beginning of their celebrated love story.
Until relatively recently, many narrative scenes on Chinese porcelain remained unidentified in the West, and the stories and symbolism they conveyed were often overlooked. In recent decades, however, increasing scholarly research has led to the identification of numerous literary and theatrical subjects, allowing these decorations to be understood within their original cultural context. Scenes from the Xixiang Ji, for example, are discussed by Christiaan Jörg in Famille Verte: Chinese Porcelain in Green Enamels, illustrating the growing appreciation of the literary sources that inspired Chinese porcelain decoration.

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