A WUCAI ‘THREE BOYS’ JAR AND COVER, SHUNZHI PERIOD
China, 1644-1661. Of ovoid form, the body decorated in bright enamels of red, green, aubergine, and yellow as well as underglaze-blue with three boys hanging from the stems of peony blossoms amid leafy scroll, framed by line borders, with stylized wave bands above the foot and to the neck, and a band of lotus and peony blossoms borne on leafy scrolling vines at the shoulder.

The domed cover similarly decorated with peony sprays and topped by a bud-form finial.


Provenance:
From the collection of Dr. Wou Kiuan. Wou Lien-Pai Museum, coll. no. M.3.2. The base with an old label, ‘Apley 173’. Dr. Wou Kiuan (1910-1997) was a Chinese diplomat and noted scholar of Chinese art. His father, Wou Lien-Pai (1873-1944), was one the leading political figures of early 20th century China, remembered for his role as speaker and leader of parliament during the turbulent years of the Republican era. Dr. Wou himself embarked on an illustrious career in diplomacy until his retirement in 1952, when he settled in London and devoted the rest of his life to the study of Chinese art. It was no doubt fortuitous that Dr. Wou’s years of collecting coincided with an abundant availability of exceptional Chinese art on the London market. From the mid-1950s to the late 1960s he was able to form a collection of well over 1,000 works that together represented virtually every category of Chinese art. At the heart of Dr. Wou’s drive to collect was a burning desire to preserve the relics of China’s rich historical past scattered across Europe, and to promote Chinese art and culture. It is unclear when Dr. Wou conceived of the idea to create a place to house his collection, but in 1968 he opened the doors to the Wou Lien-Pai Museum, named in honor of his father. Over the years the Museum became a ‘must see’ destination for collectors, academics, and visiting dignitaries, and Dr. Wou would delight in leading his visitors through the galleries, recounting stories of China’s glorious history.

Condition:
The jar in good condition with expected old wear and firing irregularities, including glaze recesses and a firing crack to the base. Light scratches, glaze flakes, minute chips to foot, and a smoothened chip to the rim. The cover with shallow chips and losses.

Weight: 2,382 g
Dimensions: Height 28.8 cm


Boys were a highly auspicious
subject in China, representing wishes relating to fertility. Images of boys with blossoming peonies, such as in the present example, emphasized the wish for family success and for sons to achieve a high social rank by passing the imperial examinations.


Literature comparison:

Compare a related jar and cover illustrated in Michael Butler, Julia Curtis, and Stephen Little, Shunzhi Porcelain: Treasures from an Unknown Reign, pp. 102-103, pl. 10.


Auction result comparison:

Type: Related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 13 September 2019, lot 1112
Price: USD 18,750 or approx.
EUR 20,500
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A wucai ‘boys’ jar and cover, Shunzhi period
Expert remark: Compare the related form, motif, and wucai decorations. Note differently decorated cover. Note the size (38 cm).




順治五彩《三童戲牡丹》蓋罐

中國，1644-1661 年。罐身為直口，豐肩，斂腹，圈足，附寶珠頂高圓蓋。罐身五彩琺瑯描繪纏枝牡丹紋，三個男童在卷葉紋間戲耍。上下修飾卷葉紋。


來源：
吳權博士收藏；吳蓮伯美術館，館藏編號 M.3.2。吳權(1910-1997)博士 曾是一位中國外交家以及知名中國藝術收藏家。他的父親吳蓮伯 (1873-1944)先生曾是二十世紀初中國重要政治人物，因在民國動蕩歲月中擔任國會議員及議長而聞名。1952 年，吳博士在外交領域走上了輝煌之路，直到他退休後定居倫敦，並將餘生奉獻給了對中國藝術的研究。毫無疑問，吳權博士多年的收藏，與大量中國藝術珍品現身倫敦藝術市場上時間點相呼應，這無疑是幸運的。從 1950 年代中期到 1960 年代後期，他收集了 1,000 多件藏品，涵蓋了中國藝術的每一個門類。吳博士之所以收藏，其原因主要是爲保護散落歐洲各地的中國文物與推廣中國藝術與文化。尚不清楚吳博士何時想到創建一個美術館來歸置他的收藏的，但在 1968 年，他打開了以他父親的名字命名的 吳蓮伯美術館的大門。多年來，美術館已成為收藏家、學者和來訪政要的必經之地，而吳博士總是很樂意給參觀者介紹美術館，講述中國光輝歷史的故事。

品相：
罐子狀況良好，有磨損和燒製不規則，包括釉面凹陷和底部的燒製裂紋，輕微劃痕、釉面剝落、腳部微小缺口，以及邊緣平滑缺口。蓋子有淺缺口和缺損。

重量：2,382 克
尺寸：高 28.8 厘米


文獻比較：

比較一件相近的蓋罐，見Michael Butler，Julia Curtis和Stephen Little，《Shunzhi Porcelain: Treasures from an Unknown Reign》，頁102-103，圖10。


拍賣結果比較：

形制：相近
拍賣：紐約佳士得，2019年9月13日，lot 1112
價格：USD 18,750（相當於今日
EUR 20,500
）
描述：清順治五彩嬰戲紋蓋罐
專家評論：比較相近的外形、主題和五彩裝飾。請注意不同的裝飾和尺寸(38厘米)。