A Chinese blue and white openwork 'Linglong' incense stick h...
Hammer
€11,000
A Chinese blue and white openwork 'Linglong' incense stick holder, Wanli
H.: 15,6 cm
Provenance:
- Jorge Welsh, Lisbon/London, with their label to the base.
- The Mr. and Mrs. Baert-Devos Collection, Belgium. Acquired from the above in 2005 and acommpanied by a copy of their documentation folder. (see added scans)
Published:
- Jorge Welsh Works of Art, included in their 2004 exhibition of 'Linglong' and published in the accompanying catalogue, pp. 40-43, no. 03.
Of tall hexagonal form, raised on an integral openwork hexagonal stand, the body moulded with six panels, each pierced with two oval medallions enclosing the Buddhist wan (swastika) emblem alternating with elongated cloud-scroll cartouches, all reserved against a finely painted trellis-diaper ground in two tones of underglaze cobalt blue. The square, thickened rim is bordered with a narrow key-fret band, while the openwork stand is formed with six shoe-shaped arches joined by stretchers and accented with underglaze-blue scrollwork. The interior is fully glazed, the recessed base and foot rim are left unglazed.
Porcelain incense holders and stands with pierced decoration of this type represent an unusual continuation of forms first developed during the Yuan dynasty. Closely related examples are preserved in the Jinglesuan Collection, assembled by Roger and Alice King, including a qingbai incense burner, a qingbai vase stand, and a blue and white stand of comparable construction. Similar pierced porcelain stands have also been excavated from Yuan tombs in Shanghai and recovered from the fourteenth-century Sinan shipwreck, demonstrating the longevity of this decorative and functional form.
The principal decorative motif is the Buddhist wan symbol, one of the oldest auspicious emblems in Asia. In Chinese art it came to signify longevity, eternity, and the concept of wan ('ten thousand'), expressing infinite blessings and good fortune. Alternating with stylised cloud scrolls, the motif reinforces the auspicious nature of the piece and its association with ritual and scholarly settings. The wan pattern became particularly popular during the Ming dynasty, appearing on porcelain, lacquer, textiles, and architectural decoration.
Condition reports and additional high-resolution zoomable images are available on our website www.rm-auctions.com, or by request via info@rm-auctions.com. The Autumn sale continues on Saturday 5 September, full catalogue available on our website soon.
Sale price
Estimate
Time, Location
Auction House
Hammer
€11,000
A Chinese blue and white openwork 'Linglong' incense stick holder, Wanli
H.: 15,6 cm
Provenance:
- Jorge Welsh, Lisbon/London, with their label to the base.
- The Mr. and Mrs. Baert-Devos Collection, Belgium. Acquired from the above in 2005 and acommpanied by a copy of their documentation folder. (see added scans)
Published:
- Jorge Welsh Works of Art, included in their 2004 exhibition of 'Linglong' and published in the accompanying catalogue, pp. 40-43, no. 03.
Of tall hexagonal form, raised on an integral openwork hexagonal stand, the body moulded with six panels, each pierced with two oval medallions enclosing the Buddhist wan (swastika) emblem alternating with elongated cloud-scroll cartouches, all reserved against a finely painted trellis-diaper ground in two tones of underglaze cobalt blue. The square, thickened rim is bordered with a narrow key-fret band, while the openwork stand is formed with six shoe-shaped arches joined by stretchers and accented with underglaze-blue scrollwork. The interior is fully glazed, the recessed base and foot rim are left unglazed.
Porcelain incense holders and stands with pierced decoration of this type represent an unusual continuation of forms first developed during the Yuan dynasty. Closely related examples are preserved in the Jinglesuan Collection, assembled by Roger and Alice King, including a qingbai incense burner, a qingbai vase stand, and a blue and white stand of comparable construction. Similar pierced porcelain stands have also been excavated from Yuan tombs in Shanghai and recovered from the fourteenth-century Sinan shipwreck, demonstrating the longevity of this decorative and functional form.
The principal decorative motif is the Buddhist wan symbol, one of the oldest auspicious emblems in Asia. In Chinese art it came to signify longevity, eternity, and the concept of wan ('ten thousand'), expressing infinite blessings and good fortune. Alternating with stylised cloud scrolls, the motif reinforces the auspicious nature of the piece and its association with ritual and scholarly settings. The wan pattern became particularly popular during the Ming dynasty, appearing on porcelain, lacquer, textiles, and architectural decoration.
Condition reports and additional high-resolution zoomable images are available on our website www.rm-auctions.com, or by request via info@rm-auctions.com. The Autumn sale continues on Saturday 5 September, full catalogue available on our website soon.
Sale price
Estimate
Time, Location
Auction House
