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A small 'Yaozhou' persimmon-glazed lobed jar, Northern Song-Jin Dynasty

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A small 'Yaozhou' persimmon-glazed lobed jar, Northern Song-Jin Dynasty

Lot 604. A small 'Yaozhou' persimmon-glazed lobed jar, Northern Song-Jin DynastyEstimate 10,000 — 15,000 USD. Photo: Sotheby's.

finely potted with the six-lobed sides resting on a short foot, covered overall with a metallic russet glaze, thinning at the rim and save for the foot ring left unglazed to reveal the pale buff-colored stoneware body. Width 3 5/8  in., 9.2 cm

Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 14 Mar 2017, 10:30 AM

A 'Yaozhou' celadon-glazed mythical beast-form lamp, Northern Song-Jin Dynasty

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A 'Yaozhou' celadon-glazed mythical beast-form lamp, Northern Song-Jin Dynasty

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Lot 605. A 'Yaozhou' celadon-glazed mythical beast-form lamp, Northern Song-Jin Dynasty. Estimate 25,000 — 30,000 USD. Photo: Sotheby's.

the beast modeled standing four square on a flat rectangular base with its head facing forward, detailed with sharp fangs, flared nostrils, bushy eyebrows and spiral mane, the tail curled up over its back, the body adorned with tasseled trappings, supporting on its back a shallow dish carved with a formalized floral bloom in the center, covered overall with a lustrous olive-green glaze, save for the base left unglazed to reveal the gray stoneware body. Height 3 3/4  in., 9.6 cm

NoteFor similar examples, see one in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Porcelain of the Song Dynasty (I), Hong Kong 1996, pl. 138; another in the Xi'an Museum, Xi'an, included in the exhibition China's Beauty of 2,000 Years, Tokyo, 1965, cat. no. 49; and a third sold in our London rooms, 17th December 1980, lot 558.

Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 14 Mar 2017, 10:30 AM

Axel Vervoordt Gallery opens new space with major retrospective of Japanese Gutai master Kazuo Shiraga

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Kazuo Shiraga, Chiyusei Seibokukan (one of the Shuihuzhuan series, or Warriors), 1961, oil on canvas, 130 x 195 cm. Courtesy of the artist’s estate and the Axel Vervoordt Gallery.

ANTWERP.- Axel Vervoordt Gallery opened at Kanaal, a former C19th industrial site on the outskirts of Antwerp, that is being transformed by Axel Vervoordt Company into a new cultural and residential complex. 

The new gallery, which was previously based in in central Antwerp, opened with a major retrospective of the work of Kazuo Shiraga (1924 – 2008), one of the most prominent and influential members of the Japanese avant-garde art movement, Gutai. The exhibition is bringing together a large selection of important paintings from the 1960s through to the end of the 1990s. 

The word Gutai means “concreteness” or “embodiment”. This term reflected the group’s strong interest in matter and the creative process. Gutai artists constantly sought to develop new processes of making artworks, combining various artistic media and techniques. Each member of the group broke through the boundaries of the traditional definition of painting, performance and sculpture. 

Kazuo Shiraga was one of the most expressive and dynamic artists of his generation. In art school he studied nihon-ga, a traditional style of Japanese painting that makes use of pulverised mineral pigments and glue. He soon came to dislike the rough texture of these materials, opting instead for the slippery texture of oil paint. Shiraga’s artistic quest was driven by the desire to materialise spiritual and physical energy, without denying the essential qualities of matter. This led to his own form of action paintings and live artistic performances. He began painting with his fingertips before adopting increasingly wild actions, eventually suspending himself above his canvases and using his feet to paint. 

He was deeply interested in Esoteric Buddhism (the Tendai sect), and would begin working by chanting a sutra to the deity Fudo Myo-o, before moving his feet freely across the canvas, seemingly severing all connections to the rope and his conscious mind. In an interview he stated “When you reach a state of selflessness, you don’t sense time pass as you’re painting. Before you even know it the painting is done. I have the sense that the mental state you attain in Esoteric Buddhist training is identical to the one you attain when you paint a picture.” 

Shiraga adopted this approach in about 1954, prior to joining Gutai Art Association, and it became his artistic trademark. Although this style of painting was very alternative for the time, influential contemporaries such as Jiro Yoshihara, Michel Tapié, and the Informel artists praised Shiraga’s paintings for their fresh vitality. His work seemed to express what they had been searching for: the fusion of a spiritual act with the physical body. In the pamphlet for Shiraga’s 1962 solo exhibition at the Gutai Pinacotheca, Yoshihara wrote, “In all of history, there is no match” for Shiraga’s paintings. 

The spiritual works within this landmark show create a striking dialogue with the Kanaal, a former distillery and malting complex just outside of Antwerp, on the banks of the Albert Canal. This remarkable ‘island’, which will complete in late 2017, has been conceived and designed by Axel Vervoordt Company as a “City in the Country”, bringing together residential, commercial and cultural spaces, and the natural world, within a shared community. 

The new Axel Vervoordt Gallery resides at the heart of Kanaal, alongside a series of exhibition spaces that will house works curated from, and by, the Axel & May Vervoordt Foundation. 

In recent years, Axel Vervoordt Gallery’s attention has brought Kazuo Shiraga and his work greater acclaim, and taken both to a more profound place. Boris Vervoordt said “While Shiraga’s work conveys the essence of Japanese culture, it centres on bold expressions unlike anything in Japanese art until that point. And though the artist used Western materials, he made work that was inconceivable to Western people, giving rise to a unique spirituality and expressivity. Shiraga has been a constant source of inspiration for our work, and we are both delighted and privileged to open our new gallery which such an important retrospective of his oeuvre.” 

The introductory text for the exhibition at Axel Vervoordt Gallery was written by Koichi Kawasaki, an independent curator and Gutai scholar, and the former chief curator of Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art, Japan. 

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Kazuo Shiraga - Inaugural exhibition Kanaal. Installation view© Jan Liégeois.

Verdura/Belperron at TEFAF Maastricht 2017

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Suzanne Belperron. The Belperron Saddle Series Cuff No. 4 © Verdura/Belperron

carved snowflake rock crystal “saddle” cuff, set with a vintage flexible platinum and diamond bracelet.

This unique and bold design illustrates Madame Belperron’s adaptability, incorporating and reimagining traditional art deco jewelry into a bold new statement.

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Suzanne Belperron. Pair of sapphire, ruby and gold "Indian Coronet" cuffs, Belperron© Verdura/Belperron

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Suzanne Belperron. The Belperron Leaves Necklace© Verdura/Belperron 

Originally designed in the mid-1930s, the Leaves Necklace reflects Suzanne Belperron’s mastery of humble splendor, a reimagining of the natural world. 18K gray gold entwines seven carved blue chalcedony leaves, 274.50 carats, twelve sapphires, 29.74 carats, and 73 old-mine cut diamonds, 9.37 carats. 

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Suzanne Belperron. The Belperron Congo Cuff, ebony wood and 18K gold. © Verdura/Belperron

This tribal-inspired cuff was inspired by the influential 1931 International Colonial Exhibition in Paris, a new fashion for “barbaric” and tribal jewelry took hold.

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Suzanne Belperron photographed by Horst. © Verdura/Belperron

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Duke Fulco di Verdura. The Verdura Medusa Ring, © Verdura/Belperron

gold and ruby, inspired by the Verdura and Dali Medusa brooch, created during Verdura’s 1941 collaboration with Salvador Dali

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Duke Fulco di Verdura. Vintage “Leaf & Flower” bracelet © Verdura/Belperron

platinum mounting set with 30.77 carats of European-cut round diamonds. Made in 1954 for Mrs. Vincent (Brooke) Astor.

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Duke Fulco di Verdura. Vintage Verdura “Raja” Ring, platinum, with a 13 carat Ceylon sapphire, diamond and turquoise, 1958© Verdura/Belperron

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Duke Fulco di Verdura. Dogwood Pendant Brooch© Verdura/Belperron

Pink tourmaline, yellow sapphire and gold. Shown with Tendril Knot chain, 33" length, sold separately.

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Duke Fulco di Verdura photographed by George Platt Lynes© Verdura/Belperron

Verdura/Belperron. TEFAF Maastricht 2017. Stand 146

Palermo Chinese palace

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Characterized by an unusual mix of architectural styles, the Chinese house was designed and built in 1799 by G. Venancio Marvuglia according to the taste of the "chinoiseries" turn of the century, on commission of King Ferdinand III of Bourbon, who stayed there for a long time during the forced residence in Sicily.

The sovereign will hosted several friends and among the distinguished guests and admired this building is a must also remember the visit of Admiral Nelson and Lady Hamilton.

The construction combines easily and with a good result the neoclassical columns of the second floor and the medieval flavor of the gothic arches of the ground floor, not to mention a blatant and systematic search for the most peculiar oddities of elements and Chinese motifs, hence the name that distinguishes the building,

Currently the Chinese house holds a collection of prints, furniture and Chinese silks.

Vanderven Oriental Art at TEFAF Maastrich

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Monumental seated Buddha, China, late Yuan-early Ming dynasty, 14th century. Gilded and painted stucco on a wooden base, 180 x 81 x 70 cm. Weight circa 350 kg © Vanderven Oriental Art.

This Buddha is seated in the 'padmasana' lotus position with his hands in 'dhyana' mudra the gesture of absolute balance. The figure emits a sense of vastness and serenity in meditation. Simply dressed in a long, low slung robe which covers his legs, exposing his chest and tied at the waist. His shoulders are covered by a long cloak, which also covers his arms and thighs. These clothes are strikingly covered in gilt and patterned with designs which have been carved into the gesso the inside of the clothes are painted in red. The areas of skin have been painted in naturalistic hues, and the tight curls of the hair on the buddha's head have traces of the original blue paint. The eyes are made of black glass and create a dramatic effect.

The figure is constructed in stucco around a wood frame; the stucco has then been covered in a layer of gesso into which the fine designs have been carved. This has then been covered by paper which has been gilded and painted. The figure is clearly meant to be viewed from the front, therefore the back has been left relatively unworked.

ProvenancePrivate Collection, United Kingdom

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Unusually large double gourd jars and covers, China, Kangxi period, 1662-1722. Porcelain. Height 111 cm © Vanderven Oriental Art.

Provenance: Private collection, USA 

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Xiang, China, Jiajing period (1796 - 1820), enameled porcelain. Length: 17 cm© Vanderven Oriental Art.

Provenanceprivate collection, UK

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Large horse with saddle, Tang Dynasty, 618-907. Terracotta, 78 x 85 cm. TL tested by Oxford Authentication© Vanderven Oriental Art.

ProvenancePrivate collection, the Netherlands, 2005

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A pair of gilded bronze incense burners in the shape of geese, Hong, China, Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644). Bronze. Height: 26.7 cm© Vanderven Oriental Art.

Provenanceprivate collection, UK

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Shizi, China, Ming Dynasty, 15th Century. Lacquer. Diameter: 20.5 cm© Vanderven Oriental Art.

A carved lacquer dish, the central panel featuring a Buddhist Lion (shizi). The depiction of these creatures gradually made an interesting metamorphosis, from early scary guardians to cartoonish and playful beasts. Here it frolics amongst beribboned Hundred Treasures (baibao), a popular decorative motif.

Provenanceprivate collection, UK
Spink & Son Ltd, London (label)

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 Goose Vessels, China, Eastern Han Dynasty ( 25 BC - 220 AD). Terracotta. Height: 33 cm / Length: 50 cm. Height: 34 cm / Length: 49 cm. TL Tested by Oxford, UK© Vanderven Oriental Art.

Geese were not farmyard animals, so not depicted as often as chickens or ducks. According to the yili- one of the four writings on Confucian ritual matters- the proper gift to offer a father when requesting a daughters hand was a goose. A very appropriate gift, as they mated for life- making them symbols of marital happiness.

Vanderven Oriental Art. TEFAF Maastrich. Stand 102 

Japanese Art in Asia Week: Leading dealers in the field present works from pre-history to today

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Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849),In the Well of the Wave off Kanagawa (Kanagawa-oki nami ura), 1832. Color woodblock print: ōban yoko-e; H. 9 ⅞ × W. 14 ⅝ in. (25.1 × 37.1 cm). Series: Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei); signed: Hokusai aratame Iitsu hitsu; publisher: Nishimuraya Yohachi (Eijudō). Courtesy Sebastian Izzard LLC Asian Art.

NEW YORK, NY.- Asia Week 2017 highlights hundreds of Japanese works of art as part of the broader celebration of the continent’s arts. From a pre-historic Jomon period pot to 17th century armor to iconic prints of the 19th century, post-war calligraphy, and contemporary sculpture, the annual event includes works of art spanning three millennia. 

The exhibitions are being held by the Japanese Art Dealers Association, its individual members, and affiliated galleries. JADA’s members are Sebastian Izzard LLC Asian Art, Leighton Longhi, Inc. Oriental Fine Art, Mika Gallery, Erik Thomsen Gallery, and Koichi Yanagi Oriental Fine Arts, all based in New York City. 

Affiliated galleries are Bachmann Eckenstein Japanese Art, of Basel Switzerland; The Art of Japan, Medina, WA; and, from New York, Bonhams, Carole Davenport Japanese Art, Ronin Gallery, and Scholten Japanese Art.

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Nemuri Todai (Sleeping Lamp Stand), 14th century, Kamakura-Muromachi period, tall lamp stand; lacquer, color, and wood. H. 31 x W. 10 3/5 x D. 11 1/8 in. (79 x 27 x 28.3 cm). Courtesy Mika Gallery

JADA 2017: An Exhibition by the Japanese Art Dealers Association March 11 – 13, Ukrainian Institute of America, 2 E. 79th St. 
A collaborative exhibition by five of New York’s leading dealers in Japanese art, JADA 2017 includes masterpieces both well known and unfamiliar and striking ceramics, paintings, screens, prints, and sculpture. 

Among the more unusual works is a 14th century “sleeping lamp stand,” or Nemuri Todai. Made of lacquered wood, color pigments, and metalwork, the circular panel, which reflected light, shows a scene of three children at their studies, one of whom has drifted off to sleep. 

JADA 2017 will present a fine impression of The Great Wave, the iconic design from Hokusai’s wellknown series of landscape prints depicting views of Mount Fuji. The artist was one of approximately 70,000 adherents to a popular cult of Fuji worship that practiced prayers and pilgrimages devoted to the sacred mountain. Hokusai’s series of 46 views of the mountain can be seen as paean to the sacred spirits who resided there. 

Also on view will be a gold lacquer writing box and document box with horse design. The 200-year-old set consists of a smaller writing box that holds implements for writing calligraphy, and a larger box that originally was used for storing valuable documents. The high-relief gold and silver décor was created by sprinkling gold and silver powders onto the wet lacquer surface, with subsequent polishing. 

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Writing and Document Box Set with Horses, Edo period (1615-1868), 19th Century. Black lacquer on wood with gold and silver maki-e and kirigane. Document Box: 6 x 16 x 12 in. (15.5 x 40 x 31.2 cm). Writing Box: 2 x 10 x 9 in. (5 x 24.2 x 22.7 cm). Courtesy Erik Thomsen Gallery.

Another highlight will be a resplendent full suit of armor designed by Noguchi Zesai, a master Edo-period armor maker. Made of lacquered leather and iron, other metals, gourds, animal skin and fur, chainmail, and other materials, the armor is one of only two known examples with address, signature, and date. The Zessai design incorporates special features including a vent across the abdomen that can be opened for cooling. On the sides of the sleeves are secret compartments. The red mask, with purposely broken silver teeth, is another signature element of Zessai’s design. Rising from the sides of the helmet, rather than the front, as is typical, are reeds of an iris plant, which are symbolic of the samurai’s sword. 

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Noguchi Zessai, Roku Mai Do Gusoku Armor (detail), 1689, signed. Lacquer, iron, wood, animal skin and fur, silk, chainmail, and copper. Courtesy Leighton R. Longhi, Inc. Oriental Fine Art.

The dynamic Meiji period allegory, The Fury of Priest Raigō, by Kobayashi Kiyochika, shows the vengeful priest as he starts to exert his wrath on a retired emperor who had denied him a promised promotion. Adopting a Western style of brushwork, the self-taught Kiyochika presents the ancient story, dating to the 12th century, at the moment the priest transforms himself into a scourge that would devastate the emperor and destroy his sacred books and scrolls, depriving him of the solace of worship. 

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Kobayashi Kiyochika (1847–1915), The Fury of Priest Raigo; hanging scroll: ink and color on silk; Meiji era, circa 1875–85; 108 x 78.8 cm; Signed: Kiyochika; Sealed: Kiyochika.  Courtesy Sebastian Izzard LLC Asian Art. 

Works by Tintorretto, Mommers & Fidanza to be offered at Morton Subastas

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Domenico Tintoretto (Italian, 1560-1635). Portrait of a gentleman, ca 1585-1590. Oil on canvas, 109 x 89 cm. Provenance: Giorgio Baratti Antiquiario; Milano, Italy. Estimate: €80,000 - €120,000.

MEXICO CITY.- In a non precedent sale in Latin America, Mexico´s top auction house will set for sale a magnificent selection of Old Master paintings from a prestigious Italian collector and gallery owner, Giorgio Baratti. This remarkable artworks come to America with an impressive provenance and quality, true world class paintings worthy of the best collections both private and public. 

The first piece to be offered will be an extraordinary idyllic landscape by the 17th century Dutch painter Hendrick Mommers. The details in this painting enhance the high-skilled quality of the artist through a palette of light colors and diaphanous details. In the foreground of the composition there is a grazing scene with cows and goats; behind it the painting presents an unusual fountain with peasants surrounded by a set of ancient Roman ruins at dawn. This particular capricco shows the influence of Italian art in the work of this master who completed his education in Rome. 

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Hendrick Mommers (Dutch, born circa 1623–1693), Southern landscape with idyllic huntscene with cattle and sheep at a fountainoil on canvas, 75 x 85 cm. (29.5 x 33.5 in.). Provenance: Giorgio Baratti Antiquiario; Milano, Italy. Estimate €24,000-34,000.

Another highlight of the evening will be an imposing seascape by the late 18th century Italian painter Francesco Fidanza. In this work there is a group of castaways fighting for their lives against the wrath of the sea in the midst of a tempestuous storm. On the shore some ancient ruins are being stroked by a lightning bolt. The painting shows the melancholic vein of Fidanza, and could be considered a precursor of Romanticism. 

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Francesco Fidanza (Italian, 1747-1819), Tempest. Oil on canvas, 93 x 134 cm. Provenance: Giorgio Baratti Antiquiario; Milano, Italy. Estimate: €34,000 - €50,000.

The crown jewel of the auction will be a splendid portrait by the late 16th century Italian painter Domenico Tintoretto. A portrait of a Venetian gentleman, all dressed in black wearing a ruff. In his right hand he holds a document and behind the man there is a large red brocade curtain and a table with a crucifix on it and what it seems to be a bible. Through his masterful use of chiaroscuro Domenico proves himself a worthy heir of his father.  

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Domenico Tintoretto (Italian, 1560-1635). Portrait of a gentleman, ca 1585-1590. Oil on canvas, 109 x 89 cm. Provenance: Giorgio Baratti Antiquiario; Milano, Italy. Estimate: €80,000 - €120,000.

This collection will be sold alongside other magnificent pieces on the 30th of Mach. Without any doubt this will be a grand opportunity to acquire masterpieces that rarely come out into the market. We will host an exhibition from 21th to 30th of March, for further information and advisories please contact: 

Eduardo Renaud: erenaud@mortonsubastas.com 
Mexico City: +52 (55) 5283-3140, ext. 5096.


A small 'Ding' white-glazed box and cover, Northern Song-Jin Dynasty

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A small 'Ding' white-glazed box and cover, Northern Song-Jin Dynasty

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Lot 606. A small 'Ding' white-glazed box and cover, Northern Song-Jin Dynasty. Estimate 5,000 — 7,000 USD. Photo: Sotheby's.

of circular form with a gently domed top and a short tapered foot, incised to the straight sides with two lines, repeated at the underside, covered overall with a smooth transparent glaze, save for the foot ring left unglazed to reveal the white body (2). Diameter 3 1/8  in., 7.8 cm

 

Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 14 Mar 2017, 10:30 AM

A slip-decorated 'Ding'-type pillow, Northern Song-Jin Dynasty

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A slip-decorated 'Ding'-type pillow, Northern Song-Jin Dynasty

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Lot 607. A slip-decorated 'Ding'-type pillow, Northern Song-Jin DynastyEstimate 8,000 — 12,000 USD. Photo: Sotheby's.

of bean shape, the slightly concave top carved through a light brown slip to an underlying white slip with rows of undulating waves, the sides with vertical lines, covered overall with a transparent pale buff-tinged glaze stopping just above the unglazed base, pierced with two air holes. Width 9 1/4  in., 23.5 cm

Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 14 Mar 2017, 10:30 AM

A rare white ware 'Boy' pillow, Northern Song-Jin Dynasty

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A rare white ware 'Boy' pillow, Northern Song-Jin Dynasty

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Lot 618. A rare white ware 'Boy' pillow, Northern Song-Jin Dynasty. Estimate 300,000 — 400,000 USD. Photo: Sotheby's.

well modeled in the form of a reclining boy cradling the stem and nestled beneath a large lotus leaf, the head resting on the long foliate stem curling around the body, the face with a calm expression detailed with half-closed eyes and a small mouth, all supported on a low plinth carved in relief with stylized water swirls above a raise fillet, covered overall with a soft transparent glaze pooling in the recesses. Width 8 in., 20.4 cm

NoteFirst manufactured in the Tang dynasty, ceramic pillows became popular and treasured items for the elite by the Song dynasty. Guides to elegant living printed in the Ming dynasty reveals that these pillows had functions beyond that of providing support while sleeping. The late Ming writer, Gao Lian, in the Cunsheng bajian [Eight discourses on the art of living], published in 1591, states that ‘porcelain may be used to make pillows… it has power to brighten the eyes and benefit the pupils’. He further notes that the immortal Yao used three scrolls with significant writings piled-up to make a pillow and ‘thereby he dreamed pure and elegant dreams’. Thus the material and the iconography of the pillow were of great importance in providing both health benefits and mediating between the conscious and unconscious as dreams were believed to have significant meaning in China.

The ceramic body was also beneficial as they were designed to cool the bed during hot summer nights. The Northern Song poet, Zhang Lei, in his poem Thanks to Master Huang for the Green Porcelain Pillow, wrote: ‘Pillow made by Gong is strong and blue; an old friend gave it to me to beat the heat; it cools down the room like a breeze; keeping my head cool while I sleep’.

The symbolism of the boy carrying a lotus leaf suggests this was created for the occasion of a marriage and the wish for the production of male heirs and is reference to the Song Dynasty custom of children imitating fertility-cult figurines, mohele, during the Qixi (Double Seven) festival. Ceramic pillows are commonly found decorated with the theme of playing children, as well as other motifs representing the blessing for a happy marriage, such as birds, flowers, butterflies and lions (to ward away evil spirits). 

A carved ‘boy’ pillow, Northern Song dynasty © Museum of the Western Han Dynasty Mausoleum of the Nanyue King

fig. 1. A carved ‘boy’ pillow, Northern Song dynasty© Museum of the Western Han Dynasty Mausoleum of the Nanyue King

Pillows in the form of boys were produced by a number of different kilns; for example, a Cizhou pillow of this type, also with a solid base, was gifted to the Museum of the Western Han Dynasty Mausoleum of the Nan Yue King, Guangzhou (fig. 1); and another, published in Cizhou yaoci zhen [Cizhou ceramic pillows], Beijing, 2000, p. 270. See a related Yaozhou pillow of this type, in the Meiyintang collection, illustrated in Regina Krahl, Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, vol. 3, pt. II, London, 2006, pl. 1479; and another, from the Jaehne collection in the Newark Museum, New Jersey, included in the exhibition Chinese Art from the Newark Museum, China Institute in America, New York, 1980, cat. no. 15. For sancai-glazed examples, see three pillows sold at auction, the first a carved Chengguan sancai-glazed pillow, attributed to the Northern Song dynasty, from the collection of Mark Lam, sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 4th October 2016, lot 117; the second and third both sold in our London rooms, on 9th December 1986, lot 124 and 2nd March 1971, lot 137. See a Ding version, in the Meiyintang collection, illustrated in Regina Krahl, Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, vol. 3, pt. II, London, 2006, pl. 1428; and three others, published in Ding Yao Ceramics from the Beixuan Shuzhai Collection, Hong Kong, 2013, pls 14-16, together with two pillows in the form of reclining ladies, pls 17-18; another illustrated in Ding ci yi shu [The art of Ding porcelain], Hebei 2002, pl. 138, together with two pillows of reclining boys without a lotus leaf, pls 136-137; and a sixth example sold in these rooms, 23rd September 1995, lot 398. A similar Ding pillow, but now lacking its lotus leaf, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, included in Suzanne G. Valenstein, The Herzman Collection of Chinese Ceramics, New York, 1992, pl. 26; and another, but with the boy lying on his right side on a rectangular couch under a large lingzhi fungus, from the Avery Brundage collection in the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, published in Ceramic Art of the World, vol. 12, 1977, col. pl. 12. Two qingbai pillows of boys similarly modelled supporting a headrest in the form of a lotus leaf are illustrated in Rose Kerr, Song Through 21st Century Eyes. Yaozhou and Qingbai Ceramics, Dreumel, 2009, pls. 2-15 and 2-16; another of a sleeping boy, included in the exhibition Ceramic Finds from Jingdezhen Kilns, Fung Ping Shan Museum, 1992, cat. no. 70; and a further example, in the Zhenjiang Museum, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu province, is included in Chinese Ceramics, Song Yuan Dynasty, Taipei, 1989, p. 382.

 

Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 14 Mar 2017, 10:30 AM

Pieter van Laer (Haarlem 1599 – 1642 Italy?), Self-Portrait with Magic Scene, ca. 1635–37

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Pieter van Laer (Haarlem 1599 – 1642 Italy?), Self-Portrait with Magic Scene, ca. 1635–37, oil on canvas, 80 x 114.9 cm, signed on the music sheet, lower left center: “P.V. Laer”, PvL-100© The Leiden Collection, New York.

Currently on view at Musée du Louvre, Paris

Pieter van Laer, Self-Portrait, ca. 1632–33

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Pieter van Laer, Self-Portrait, ca. 1632–33, oil on panel, 72 x 58 cm, Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence, © 2015, Photo Scala, Florence, courtesy of the Ministero Beni e Att. Culturali

A grisaille-painted 'Riverscape' bowl, Yongzheng mark and period (1723-1735)

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A grisaille-painted 'Riverscape' bowl, Yongzheng mark and period (1723-1735)

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Lot 513. A grisaille-painted 'Riverscape' bowl, Yongzheng mark and period (1723-1735)Estimate 20,000 — 30,000 USD. Photo: Sotheby's.

he steeply rounded sides everting to a lipped rim, finely painted to the exterior with a continuous scene of a fishing boat plying the waters through a rocky ravine with thatch-roofed cottages and a gnarled pine tree, the interior plain, the base with a six-character mark in underglaze blue, wood stand (2). Diameter 3 5/8  in., 9.2 cm

ProvenanceAcquired between 1930-36, and thence by descent.

NoteOriginating from the Yongzheng period and possibly influenced by European sepia wares, the technique for painting porcelain with black ink enabled the artisans of the imperial workshop to invoke the compelling attributes of traditional Chinese landscape painting for decorative use. 
For another closely related pair of grisaille-decorated bowls, inscribed with similar underglaze blue reign marks in three columns, see the pair from the estate of William and Jennifer Shaw, sold in these rooms 11th-12th September 2012, lot 83.  Another pair was sold in our London rooms, 20th June 2001, lot 18. Compare also a pair of bowls included in the exhibition The Wonders of the Potter’s Palette, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1984, cat. no. 57.

Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 14 Mar 2017, 10:30 AM

A grisaille-painted 'Riverscape' bowl, Yongzheng mark and period (1723-1735)

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A grisaille-painted 'Riverscape' bowl, Yongzheng mark and period (1723-1735)

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Lot 514. A grisaille-painted 'Riverscape' bowl, Yongzheng mark and period (1723-1735). Estimate 12,000 — 15,000 USD. Photo: Sotheby's.

with deep rounded sides rising from a short foot to a slightly everted rim, finely decorated in a painterly manner with a tranquil landscape with willow trees and a scholar crossing a bridge towards a pavilion nestled among tall mountains, the interior enameled with three yellow and green florets, the base with a six-character mark in underglaze blue, wood stand (2). Diameter 3 5/8  in., 9.2 cm

Provenance: Acquired between 1930-36, and thence by descent.

Note: A similarly decorated pair of the same size and with yellow enamel flowers to the interior was sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 21st May 1980, lot 219. 

Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 14 Mar 2017, 10:30 AM


A Rutilated Quartz and Gold 'Coronation' Clock, by Cartier, circa 1953

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A Rutilated Quartz and Gold 'Coronation' Clock, by Cartier, circa 1953©FD Gallery.

A Rock Crystal and Multi-Gem 'Mystery Clock', circa 1980, by Cartier

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A Rock Crystal and Multi-Gem 'Mystery Clock', circa 1980, by Cartier© FD Gallery.

A pair of carved Qingbai 'floral' bowls, Song dynasty (960–1279)

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A pair of carved Qingbai 'floral' bowls, Song dynasty (960–1279)

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Lot 613. A pair of carved Qingbai 'floral' bowls, Song dynasty (960–1279)Estimate 8,000 — 12,000 USD. Photo: Sotheby's.

each thinly potted with gently rounded sides rising from a straight foot to a six-lobed rim, carved and incised to the interior with floral blossoms borne on undulating leafy stems, covered overall save for the base with a translucent bluish-white glaze pooling to an aquamarine color in the recesses (2). Diameter 7 3/8  in., 18.6 cm 

Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 14 Mar 2017, 10:30 AM

A pair of carved Qingbai 'floral' bowls, Song dynasty (960–1279)

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A pair of carved Qingbai 'floral' bowls, Song dynasty (960–1279)

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Lot 622. A pair of carved Qingbai 'floral' bowls, Song dynasty (960–1279). Estimate 10,000 — 15,000 USD. Photo: Sotheby's.

each with the gently rounded sides rising at an angle from a short tapered foot to a lobed rim, freely carved and combed to the interior with undulating floral scrolls, covered overall with a lustrous translucent bluish-white glaze, save for the base partially glazed revealing the body burnt russet in the firing (2). Diameter 7 1/8  in., 18.1 cm 

Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 14 Mar 2017, 10:30 AM

A Qingbai carved foliate-rim bowl, Song dynasty (960–1279)

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A Qingbai carved foliate-rim bowl, Song dynasty (960–1279)

Lot 633. A Qingbai carved foliate-rim bowl, Song dynasty (960–1279). Estimate 8,000 — 12,000 USD. Photo: Sotheby's.

the flared sides rising to a six-lobed rim, freely carved to the interior with a lotus flowers issuing from a leafy stem, on a rouletted ground below a line border, covered overall with a translucent pale blue-tinted glazed pooling to darker tones within the recesses, wood stand (2). Diameter 6 1/4  in., 15.9 cm 

ProvenanceBluett & Sons, London.

Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 14 Mar 2017, 10:30 AM

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