Lot 526. A 'Yaozhou' celadon-glazed conical bowl, Northern Song dynasty (960-1127); 13cm., 5 1/8 in. Estimate 150 — 250 GBP. Lot sold 3,750 GBP. Photo: Sotheby's 2008

the deep flaring sides rising from a short spreading foot, covered overall with an olive-green glaze.

Literature: Bo Gyllensvard, Chinese Ceramics in the Carl Kempe Collection, Stockholm, 1964, pl. 116.

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, London, 05 Nov 2008

Lot 527. A carved 'Yaozhou' bowl, Song dynasty (960-1279); 13.5cm., 5 3/8 in. Estimate 200 — 250 GBP. Lot sold 3,750 GBP. Photo: Sotheby's 2008

the deep rounded sides rising from a short straight foot, freely carved to the interior with a flower spray within combed waves, covered overall with an olive-green glaze save for the base.

Literature: Bo Gyllensvard, Chinese Ceramics in the Carl Kempe Collection, Stockholm, 1964, pl. 82.

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, London, 05 Nov 2008

Harriet Hosmer, Daphne, 1853, marble, Purchased with funds provided by the Calvin and Marisa Allen Foundation, Anne Allen Cheatham, and Lizzie Cheatham McNairy and Charlie McNairy on behalf of the Matrons of the Arts Initiative, and by the bequest of Carlisle Adams. © 1999–2018 North Carolina Museum of Art Foundation, Inc.

RALEIGH, NC.- The North Carolina Museum of Art announced a new initiative, Matrons of the Arts, which highlights female-identified artists in both the Museum’s permanent collection and around the world. Matrons of the Arts is a Museum-wide, ongoing project that presents programs, exhibitions, and acquisitions by and about women artists. Inspired in part by the name five women artists challenge put on by the National Museum of Women in the Arts—and playing off the phrase patron of the arts—this campaign seeks to bring the public’s attention to women who have been and continue to be major figures in the world of art. 

"Women artists historically have been underrepresented in most museums,” said Museum Director Lawrence J. Wheeler. “As the Museum continues to collect some of the best artists of our time—Mickalene Thomas, Louise Bourgeois, Helen Frankenthaler, Susan Rothenberg, Elizabeth Murray, Alison Saar, and many others—we hope to challenge and change this oversight, beginning at our own institution.” 

Matrons of the Arts will add new acquisitions to the Museum’s free permanent collection, host programs and events, and spotlight female artists through special exhibitions. The first purchase of the initiative is a bust of Daphne, created in 1853 by artist Harriet Hosmer, known as the first professional female sculptor in America and working at a time when women were often banned from even attending art classes. The bust’s new home is in the American Gallery. The NCMA is already home to several works by prominent female artists, including Georgia O’Keeffe’s Cebolla Church, 1945; Portrait of Madame X Dressed for the Matinee, 1878, by the renowned American impressionist Mary Cassatt; Elisabeth Vigée Lebrun’s portrait of Count Shuvalov, 1795–97; Louise Nevelson’s Black Zag CC, 1977; and important African ceramics created by women. 

Georgia O’Keeffe, Cebolla Church, 1945. Oil and sand on canvas, 20 1/16 x 36 1/4 in. (51.0 x 92.1 cm), Gift of the North Carolina State Art Society (Robert F. Phifer Bequest), in honor of Joseph C. Sloane, G.72.18.1. © 1999–2018 North Carolina Museum of Art Foundation, Inc.

Mary Stevenson Cassatt, Portrait of Madame X Dressed for the Matinee, 1878. Oil on canvas, 39 5/8 x 31 13/16 in. (100.6 x 80.8 cm). Gift of Charlotte Hanes in memory of her husband, R. Philip Hanes Jr., and gift of anonymous donors, 2013.9. © 1999–2018 North Carolina Museum of Art Foundation, Inc.

Elisabeth Louise Vigée Lebrun, Ivan Ivanovich Shuvalov (1727–1797), circa 1795–1797. Oil on canvas, 33 x 24 in. (83.8 x 61.0 cm). Purchased with funds from the State of North Carolina, 52.9.224. © 1999–2018 North Carolina Museum of Art Foundation, Inc.

Louise Nevelson, Black Zag CC, 1964–1971, final addition 1977. Painted wood construction with fabricated, found, and bought elements; wire and metal hardware; and Formica frame, 48 x 59 x 9 in. (121.9 x 149.9 x 22.9 cm). Purchased with funds from the National Endowment for the Arts and the North Carolina State Art Society (Robert F. Phifer Bequest), G.78.2.2. © 1999–2018 North Carolina Museum of Art Foundation, Inc.

Artist Unknown, Palm Wine Vessel with Spider Motif, circa 1975. Ceramic. H. 17 1/2 x Diam 16 in. (44.5 x 40.6 cm). Purchased with funds from the State of North Carolina, by exchange, 99.6.2. © 1999–2018 North Carolina Museum of Art Foundation, Inc.

Special programming and events will accompany the initiative, including a free January 28 Women in Art lecture with Bridget Quinn, author of Broad Strokes: 15 Women Who Made Art and Made History (In That Order). She’ll use the late Linda Nochlin’s revolutionary 1971 essay, “Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists,” as a starting point of discussion. The lecture is sold out, but overflow seating is available.  

Traveling and temporary exhibitions will continue to highlight female artists, as seen in current Museum exhibitions like photographer Barbara Morgan’s Rhythmic Vitality and multimedia artist Sabine Gruffat’s A Kiss of the Earth video installation, along with weaver and textile artist Andrea Donnelly’s We’ve Met Before, closing January 28, 2018. The spring exhibition You Are Here: Light, Color, and Sound Experiences features several female artists, including Soo Sunny Park, Janet Cardiff, Anila Agha, and Durham artist Heather Gordon. The Museum will also host Candida Höfer’s architectural photography series from Mexico and an exhibition exploring Georgia O’Keeffe and contemporary art in October 2018.  

Barbara Morgan, Martha Graham, “Celebration” (Trio), 1937, printed later, gelatin-silver print, 17 7/16 x 13 13/16 in., Gift of Richard and Lois Zakia, © Barbara and Willard Morgan photographs and papers, Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, UCLA.

Sabine Gruffat, A Kiss of the Earth (still frame), 2014, three-channel interactive animation projection, dimensions variable, run time variable, Courtesy of the artist, © 2014 Sabine Gruffat

Andrea Donnelly, Body Blot #1, 2011, handwoven cotton, dyed and painted, 77 x 108 in., North Carolina Museum of Art, Purchased with funds from the William R. Roberson Jr. and Frances M. Roberson Endowed Fund for North Carolina Art, © 2011 Andrea Donnelly

Anila Agha, Intersections, 2013, laser-cut wood, lacquer paint, and light bulb, H. 78 x W. 78 x D. 78 in., Courtesy of the artist; Image © 2013 Rice Gallery, photo by Nash Baker

Candida Höfer, Palacio de Bellas Artes Ciudad de México III, 2015, chromogenic print, 70 7/8 x 84 1/4 in., Courtesy of the artist, © 2017 Candida Höfer

“We’re aiming to change the connotation of the word in the art world, elevating ‘matron’ to champion and leader. A matron is no longer a passive bystander but a fierce and powerful force,” said Associate Curator of Contemporary Art Jennifer Dasal. “By working together to make women a priority—and to get both women and men excited to do so—we can really bring about wonderful institutional change.”  

By telling the stories of female artists whose work is in the NCMA’s permanent collection, exhibiting and acquiring more work by important women artists, hosting special events featuring female artists and authors, and selling merchandise that promotes women’s significant contribution to the arts, the NCMA joins the international drive to achieve a more diverse representation of female artists in museums around the world.  

"Thanks to the initial funding generously provided by the Calvin and Marisa Allen Foundation, Anne Allen Cheatham, and Lizzie Cheatham McNairy and Charlie McNairy,” said Chief Curator Linda Dougherty, “the NCMA has been able to start this program with a significant acquisition, several lectures, and two exhibitions featuring women artists. And we have several more projects already in the works.” 

Created with input from NCMA curators; program directors; and Lizzie McNairy, a member of the Board of Trustees and Collections Committee, the campaign will be a continuous effort to spotlight female-identified artists.  

“Throughout time, women have played an invaluable role in the arts as creators and as matrons,” said McNairy. “This is a museum that is committed to sharing the creative contributions of women in the arts, for the story of art is far richer when it is inclusive and diverse."

Lot 1602. An extremely rare 'famille-rose' and lemon-yellow-back charger, mark and period of Yongzheng (1723-1735); 35.6 cn., 14 in. Estimate 800,000 — 1,000,000 HKD. Lot sold 980,000 HKD. Photo: Sotheby's 2009.

with curved sides rising from a short straight foot to an everted mouthrim, finely painted on the interior with the Daoist immortal Magu walking beside a cart laden with a bouquet of flowers drawn by a deer, reserved on white-ground and bordered by a band of green-enameled diaper motif, alternating with four cartouches containing floral sprigs and plum blossom florets, the reverse enamelled in lemon-yellow and moulded with a band of brightly enameled turquoise waves skirting the foot, the base in white with a six-character mark within double circles underglaze-blue.

Provenance: A French Collection.

Note: It is extremely rare to find famille-rose enamelled dishes carved and enamelled on the exterior with crashing waves and no other example appears to have been published. A Yongzheng dish of this size, with reign mark and of the period, similarly decorated on the exterior with a yellow-ground and delicately carved and green-enamelled waves, but of ogee form and with a plain white interior, is illustrated in Qingdai yuyao ciqi, vol. 1, pt. II, Beijing, 2005, pl. 193. 

The meticulously carved waves are known on two monochrome dishes also of this size; a yellow-glazed example, in the Leshantang Collection, is published in The Leshantang Collection of Chinese Porcelain, Taipei, 2005, pl. 37; and a white-glazed dish was sold in our New York rooms, 1st June 1993, lot 344. This decorative and colour scheme was employed from the Ming dynasty, as seen on yellow ground bowls decorated with incised and green-enamelled dragons above crashing waves, which continued through to the Qing period; see a Yongzheng example of this dragon and wave design sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 31st October 1994, lot 570A.  

The interior of the present dish depicts Magu, the Daoist Goddess of longevity, returning from an excursion to the mountains in search of lingzhi fungus. Magu is often portrayed as a young and beautiful girl wearing an apron of leaves and carrying a basket of lingzhi fungus or peaches and typically accompanied by a spotted deer, the only animal capable of finding the sacred fungus of immortality. According to legend, after Magu became an immortal she witnessed the ocean changing into mulberry fields three times, hence implying her long life, and the crashing waves on the exterior of the present dish may refer to these events. First appearing on early-Ming porcelain, she gained popularity during the Kangxi period and dishes of this design were made for women's birthday celebrations.

For a smaller Yongzheng dish, with reign mark and of the period, decorated with a similar scene of Magu on a plain white background, see one sold at Christie's London, 8th December 1975, lot 143. A dish similarly composed of a figural scene and a panel and diaper border, with Yongzheng reign mark and of the period, was sold in our London rooms, 29th November 1977, lot 141. 

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art, Hong Kong, 08 Oct 2009 

Lot 1604. A rare gilt-decorated teadust ' pomegranate' vase, Seal mark and period of Qianlong (1736-1795); 20.5 cm., 8 1/8 in. Est. 1,500,000—1,800,000 HKD. Lot Sold  2,900,000 HKD. photo courtesy Sotheby's 2009.

the tri-lobed globular body rising to a tall neck with an everted lip, supported on a splayed foot, covered overall in an olive-green teadust glaze gilded with chrysanthemum scrolls throughout, the shoulders surmounted by a high-relief modeled branch of pomegrante wrapping itself around the neck in various stages of development, with a fully ripe fruit bursting through the skin revealing the seeded red flesh, another with the petals of the red flower withering as the fruit begins to form, the shoulders further set with a bough of lingzhi fungus, the base incised with a six-character seal mark dressed in brown. 

Provenance: Sotheby's Hong Kong, 5th December 1979, lot 661.

Note: The present piece is a good example of the innovative and unconventional designs achieved in ceramic production in the Qianlong period. In order to satisfy his own flamboyant taste, the Qianlong Emperor is known to have commissioned artists working in the Imperial kilns at Jingdezhen to make pieces that were highly challenging and original, often placing more emphasis on the showier aspects of production and the virtuosity of craftsmanship. The refinement of the materials and techniques provided the means for artists to be ambitious in their repertoire, as seen in the expertly moulded and carved porcelain fruiting branch that contrasts effectively with the delicate gilded floral design covering the vase.

A vase of closely related form and design, but on a brown ground and with a turquoise-glazed interior, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, is illustrated in Kangxi, Yongzheng, Qianlong. Qing Porcelain from the Palace Museum Collection, Hong Kong, 1989, p. 363, pl. 44. Compare also related vases with teadust glaze and fruiting branch decoration, but without the gilded design; one in the British Museum, London, included in Soame Jenyns, Later Chinese Porcelain, London, 1971, pl. XCIX, no. 1; one in the W.T. Walters Collection, published in S.W. Bushell, Oriental Ceramic Art, London, 1980, p. 217, fig. 283; and a pair of vases, offered at Christie's Hong Kong, 31^st October 2000, lot 913.

Pomegranates represent the wish for many sons while the lingzhi fungus is symbolic of longevity.

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art, Hong Kong, 08 Oct 2009 

Lot 1605. A rare famille-rose ruby ground wine cup and saucer, Seal mark and period of Qianlong (1736-1795); cup: diameter 6.4 cm., 2 1/2 in. saucer: 12 cm., 4 3/4 in. Est. 1,000,000 — 1,500,000 HKD. Lot Sold  1,220,000 HKD. photo courtesy Sotheby's 2009.

delicately potted, the deep sides of the wine cup finely painted on the exterior with three formal lotus flowers encircled by scrolling foliate leaves, all reserved on a ruby-red ground further incised with a fine sgraffiatofeathered scrolls, the short foot encircled by yellow upright petal lappets, the interior dressed in gold, the base inscribed in underglaze-blue with a six-character reign mark; the matching saucer with shallow rounded sides rising to a wide everted rim painted with flowers and scrolls on a white ground, the centre set with a countersunk well encircled by a raised ridge and painted with a turquoise shou character on a gold ground, the cavetto similarly decorated with lotus flowers alternating with lilies, all with scrolling foliate leaves, reserved on a ruby-red ground incised with sgraffiato feathered scrolls, the reverse similarly decorated with prunus florets, the underside inscribed with a six-character reign mark in underglaze blue. 

Provenance: Chait Galleries, New York, 30th December 1969.

Note: Impressive for the expertly decorated design of lotus scrolls on a sgraffiato ground, the present cup and saucer highlight the technical proficiency of porcelain manufacturers at Jingdezhen under the Qianlong reign. Although no other cup and saucer set of this decoration appears to have been published, a closely related saucer, in the Bushell Collection, is illustrated in Cosmo Monkhouse, A History and Description of Chinese Porcelain, London, 1901, fig. 44; and a smaller cup of similar form and decoration, but with the mark Bao se zhai zhi (Studio for the Precious and Miserly) on the base, was sold in these rooms, 28th November 1979, lot 236.

Compare shaped cup and saucer sets similarly decorated in famille-rose enamels on a sgraffiato ruby-ground, with Qianlong reign mark and of the period, but with the saucer raised on small feet, in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, included in the exhibition Stunning Decorative Porcelains from the Ch'ien-lung Reign, National Palace Museum, Taipei, 2008, such as a petal-lobed set painted with five radiating panels of blossoming lotus stems, cat. no. 9; and a quatrefoil example deorated with four circular landscape panels, cat. no. 8.

For Qianlong cups of slightly larger proportions and straight sides rising from a countersunk base, painted with a related blossoming lotus scroll on an incised ruby-ground, see one sold at Christie's New York, 2nd December 1993, lot 344, and again in these rooms, 8th April 2007, lot 801; and another, but decorated with a mixed-flower scroll, in the Nanjing Museum, included in the exhibition Qing Imperial Porcelain of the Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong Reigns, Nanjing Museum, 1995, cat. no. 94.  Compare also the cover of an engraved ruby-ground cup, similarly decorated with a floral design sold in our London rooms, 6th December 1994, lot 211.

The complicated and laborious sgraffiato technique here employed was first included in the repertoire of the Jingdezhen potters during the Qianlong period and was reserved for decorating very special pieces. Commonly known as jinshang tianhua, ('adding decorative pattern onto brocades'), the technique consisted of reserving the design on a monochrome enamel ground, which itself is structured by needle-point etching of endless scrolling fronds. Sgraffiato was more often restricted to smaller subsidiary borders, rather than being used for the main field of decoration, due to the difficulty of achieving an evenness in the enamel over a large surface.

For a Yongzheng cup and saucer of this form and size, with reign mark and of the period, enamelled with shaped yellow-ground panels of peony blossoms on a plain ruby-ground and the exterior of the saucer decorated with iron red bats on a plain white ground, see one illustrated in The Tsui Museum of Art. Chinese Ceramics IV. Qing Dynasty, Hong Kong, 1995, pl. 157, sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 29th April 1999, lot 537.

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art, Hong Kong, 08 Oct 2009

Lot 1608. A rare 'famille-rose' turquoise-ground vase, seal mark and period of Qianlong (1736-1795); 40 cm., 15 3/4 in. Est. 400,000 — 500,000 HKD. Lot Sold 500,000 HKD. photo courtesy Sotheby's 2009.

of ovoid form with sloping shoulders set with a waisted neck and flared mouth, tapering to a slightly cinched body, all supported on a short straight foot, painted on two sides with a broad trapezoidal panel with notched corners, each panel painted in famille-rose palette, one panel containing a pair of phoenix perched on rocks amidst flowering peonies and magnolias, opposite an idyllic landscape panel with simple dwellings near a stream, the neck similarly painted with two quatrefoil panels, one with a further landscape and the other with narcissus, roses and nandina berries, all reserved against an imitation 'turquoise' mineral ground, the pale blue ground finely painted with the natural veining of the stone, the underside painted in underglaze blue with a six-character reign mark. 

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art, Hong Kong, 08 Oct 2009

Lot 1609. A very rare and finely enamelled 'famille-rose' celadon ground butterfly vase, Seal mark and period of Qianlong (1736-1795); 53.2 cm., 21 in. Est. 12,000,000 — 15,000,000 HKD. Lot Sold  21,380,000 HKD. photo courtesy Sotheby's 2009.

of baluster shape, the waisted neck flanked by two moulded archaistic dragon handles with scales and facial features picked-out in gilt, the body and neck intricately painted with plump sweet melons in iron-red, black, turquoise, lime-green, and pink, suspended from intertwining vines issuing broad five-pronged leaves and small yellow blossoms, all amidst delicate butterflies fluttering at various altitudes, some of light pastel-pink, lavender, lilac and green, others of deep ochre-red, charcoal-grey with detailing elaborately picked-out in gilding, all against a light celadon-green ground extending to the interior and base, a border of pink ruyi-heads at the rim and collar, and a band of pendant leaf lappets at the foot below a border of upright petal lappets, the base gilded with a six-character seal mark. 

Provenance: Christie's London, 6th June 1988, lot 103.
Sotheby's Hong Kong, 31st October 2004, lot 140.

Note: Exquisitely enamelled to complement an elegant elongated form, the design of butterflies hovering amongst melons hanging from vines is rare and no similar example appears to have been published. The rarity of such a piece is not surprising given the high standards of the imperial manufactories under the keen eye of the Qianlong emperor and the rigorous scrutiny of the imperial kiln supervisor, Tang Ying. With its dense composition and fairly large blocks of colour scattered overall, as well as the naturalistic representation of the fruiting melon vines, this demanding design represents the exceptional proficiency of Qianlong imperial porcelain painters.

The sophistication of the present vase has been achieved through the fusion of Western painting techniques with traditional Chinese motifs. The melons, carefully rendered to create a three-dimensional effect through the light to dark tonal gradations, and the intricate attention paid to the detailing of the fluttering butterflies reveal the influence of Jesuit artists at court. Moreover, the boldly coloured melons that appear to loom from the surface echoes the ovoid form of the vase while the twisting vine branches are repeated in the sinuous qilong handles to create an added sense of harmony and movement.

Only a very small number of vessels with this decoration from the Qianlong period are known; see a sky-blue ground meiping decorated with a more sparsely-composed motif of butterflies and melons applied in iron-red and green enamels, in the Shanghai Museum, illustrated in Chugoku toji zenshu, vol. 21, Shanghai, 1981, pl. 125; and a Beijing enamel snuff bottle and a glass snuff bottle, both painted with butterflies and melons, in the Palace Museum collection, illustrated in Chugoku no toji, vol. 11, Tokyo, 1996, p. 137, pls. 77 and 78.

A related but more schematised design can also be found on Jiaqing vases; for example see an ovoid jar sold in our London rooms, 14th November 2001, lot 105; and another sold in these rooms, 22nd May 1979, lot 271. For an example decorated in doucai enamels see one in the Palace Museum, Beijing, published in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Porcelains in Polychrome and Contrasting Colours, Hong Kong, 1999, pl. 262.

The butterfly is a very auspicious motif, symbolising blessings, happiness and longevity. The philosopher Zhuangzhi (4th century BC) dreamed that he was a butterfly flying about in a carefree manner while sipping nectar from flowers; thus the butterfly is also an emblem of joy. When pictured with melons, this design represents the wish for numerous descendants.

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art, Hong Kong, 08 Oct 2009

Lot 1610. A fine and very rare doucai'Squirrels and Grapes' jarlet, Mark and period of Yongzheng (1723-1735); 8.8 cm., 3 1/2 in. Est. 1,500,000—2,000,000 HKD. Lot Sold 5,420,000 HKD. Photo: Sotheby's 2009.

well-potted, the body of globular shape with gentle shoulders rising to a short neck, depicting four squirrels playing amongst suspended grape vines, set amidst rock formations and flowers, the base with six-character mark within double-lined borders in underglaze-blue. 

Note: Doucai vases of this charming form and superbly painted with fruiting vine branches and squirrels are extremely rare and no other example appears to have been published. Compare Yongzheng doucai double-gourd vases, with reign mark and of the period, also of miniature size but decorated in a more minimalist manner with a single long vine branch and a squirrel eating a bunch of grapes at the lower edge, such as one from the Russell Collection, illustrated in Soame Jenyns, Later Chinese Porcelain, London, 1951, pl. XLVIII b, sold in our London rooms, 25^th June 1946, lot 83; and another from the H.R.N. Norton Collection, sold in our London rooms, 5^thNovember 1963, lot 211, again, 2-3^rd December 1974, lot 528, and again in these rooms, 23^rd October 2005, lot 465.

The grapevine motif appears to have been inspired by Xuande prototypes; see one in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Blue and White Porcelain with Underglaze Red (I), Shanghai, 2002, pl. 142; and another, from the Mrs. Walter Sedgwick Collection, sold in our London rooms, 2^nd July 1968, lot 127, and again at Doyle New York, 16^th September 2003, lot 90, from the Morrill Collection. Compare also a Chenghua cup painted with grapevine and bitter melon in the doucai palette and a dish also decorated with a grapevine in doucai included in the Special Exhibition of Ch'eng-hua Porcelain Ware, National Palace Museum, Taipei, 2003, cat nos. 181 and 182.

Although grapes featured as a decorative motif on metalwork from the Tang dynasty (618-906), the combination of squirrels and grapes did not appear in Chinese painting until the late-Yuan (1279-1368) or early Ming dynasty, and grew in popularity from the sixteenth century. Due to the highly reproductive power of squirrels and large clusters of grapes on vines, this theme symbolises the wish for ceaseless generations of sons and grandsons.

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art, Hong Kong, 08 Oct 2009

Lot 1611. A finely enamelled and rare pair of 'doucai' bowls, Marks and period of Kangxi (1662-1722); 9 cm., 3 1/2 in. Estimate 2,500,000—3,000,000 HKD. Lot Sold 6,020,000 HKD. Photo Sotheby's 2009

each delicately potted with deep rounded sides resting on a short foot, the exterior depicting Zhang Qian reading whilst travelling on a wooden raft over flowing waters, all in a greater landscape consisting of two bats, a crane and a vertical rock formation, the base inscribed with a six-character mark within double circles in underglaze-blue (2).

Note: This pair of bowls depicts the Han Dynasty statesman and explorer Zhang Qian. He was regarded as the first official diplomat who brought reliable information about Central Asia back to the Chinese imperial court and was celebrated for his important pioneering role in opening China to the world of commercial trade. Zhang Qian's accounts of his explorations of Central Asia are detailed in the Early Han Historical Chronicles: Restoration of the Grand History (Shiji), complied by Sima Qian in the 1st century BC. Numerous legends also cite his expeditions of discovering the source of the Yellow River, the origins of the Milky Way galaxy, and discovering the process of wine making, hence the popularity for using this subject among wine vessels. A wine vessel in the form of a rhinoceros horn depicting the same subject was sold in our New York rooms, 21st September 2006.

It is rare to find doucai cups of this design with a Kangxi six-character reign mark, although a similar pair from the E. T. Chow Collection was sold in these rooms, 25th November 1980, lot 133. A 'doucai' cup of similar size and shape but of different figural motif, is in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Wucai / Doucai, Vol. 33, Hong Kong, 1999, p. 218, no. 199.

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art, Hong Kong, 08 Oct 2009

Lot 1612. A fine and rare doucai'chicken' cup, Qing dynasty, Qianlong period (1736-1795); 6 cm., 2 3/8 in. Estimate 1,000,000—1,500,000 HKD. Lot Sold 2,060,000 HKD. photo Sotheby's 2009

based on the Chenghua prototype, delicately potted with steep rounded sides rising from a recessed base to a slightly everted rim, finely decorated around the exterior with two pairs of cockerels and hens tending their four small chicks, divided on one side by blossoming peony issuing from rockwork and on the other by bamboo issuing from rockwork, all between a single line at the base and double lines at the rim. 

Provenance: Sotheby's London, 9th November 2005, lot 303.

Note: A bowl of this decoration was included in the exhibition Ch'ing Polychrome Porcelain, Hong Kong Oriental Ceramic Society, Hong Kong, 1977, cat.no. 57. See also a pair of wine cups sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 2nd May 2005, lot 601. A pair of slender beakers from the Edward T. Chow collection with related decoration and Chenghua marks was sold in these rooms, 25th November 1980, lot 131.

For the Chenghua origin of this design see a slender doucai cup illustrated in Enamalled Ware of the Ming Dynasty. Porcelain of the National Palace Museum, Hong Kong, 1966, pl. 17

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art, Hong Kong, 08 Oct 2009

Lot 1614. Three 'month cups', Marks and period of Kangxi (1662-1722); 6.5 cm., 2 1/2 in. Estimate 800,000—1,000,000 HKD. Lot Sold 1,700,000 HKD. Photo Sotheby's 2009

each delicately potted with steep sides and slightly everted rim, painted on the exterior in soft underglaze-blue and various-coloured enamels, each depicting different scenes: a flowering and fruiting pomegranate tree among flowers signifying the fifth month; a hare under a cassia tree signifying the eighth month; insects hovering around a rose bush and rocks signifying the tenth month, each cup inscribed with a seasonal couplet by a Tang poet bearing individual seal marks in underglaze-blue, inscribed with six-character marks within double circles in underglaze-blue (3).

Note: Sets of twelve month cups were commissioned by the Qing emperors to display their opulence and create a sense of imperial prosperity and strength throughout every month of the year. The emperors would have dined in solitary, using only the relevant cups for the right month of the year.

Each cup has a specific floral decoration, accompanied by a seasonal couplet from a Tang poet. The Emperor Kangxi was known to inaugurate the practice of shipping small quantities of blank porcelain cups from Jingdezhen to the enamel workshops at his palace. A complete set of famille verte month cups of Kangxi mark and period are in the Idemitsu Museum of Art, Tokyo, from the collection of J. M. Hu, sold in our New York rooms, 4th June 1985, lot 50, and illustrated in Chinese Ceramics in the Idemitsu Collection, 1987, pl. 221.

The inscription of the fifth month cup reads, lu se zhu lian ying, xiang feng fen bi zhe. 'Its colour unfolds like the sun or pearl curtains, the breeze bears its fragrance in the shade of the white-washed wall.'

The inscription of the eigth month cup reads, zhi sheng wu xian yue, hua man zi ran qiu. 'Its branches are growing for months and months, once it is in full bloom, autumn has clearly arrived.'

The inscription of the tenth month cup reads, bu sui qian zhong jin, du fang yi nian hong. 'Unlike a thousand other planets that perish, this one alone blazes red throughout the year.'

Four complete sets have been offered for sale: one from the collection of Mr. and Mrs. R. H. R. Palmer, in our London rooms, 28th May 1968, lot 124; one from the collection of Paul and Helen Bernat, in these rooms, 15th November 1988, lot 22, and in the Jingguantang Collection; also sold in these rooms, 20th May 1987, lot 576, another in 19th March 1991, lot 543.

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art, Hong Kong, 08 Oct 2009

Lot 1615. A 'doucai' makara cup. Qing dynasty, Yongzheng period (1723-1735); 7.5 cm., 3 in. Estimate 150,000—200,000 HKD. Lot Sold 187,500 HKD. Photo: Sothebys 2009

elegantly potted, the sides gradually rising to a slightly flared rim from a short foot, painted in soft underglaze-blue and brilliant enamels, the main exterior of the body surrounded by four makaras, each encircled within a foliate medallion, separated by upright and pendant triangular florets and leaves, all between single and double-lined borders near the mouthrim and above the foot individually, inscribed on the base with a apocryphal six-character Chenghua mark within double-squares in underglaze-blue. 

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art, Hong Kong, 08 Oct 2009 

Lot 1616. A 'doucai' floral scroll bowl, Seal mark and period of Daoguang (1821-1850); 14.2 cm., 5 5/8 in. Est. 120,000—150,000 HKD. Lot Sold 250,000 HKD. Photo: Sotheby's 2009. 

the deep rounded sides painted in underglaze blue and colourfully enameled with six different flowers lotus, lily, chrysanthemum, camellia, hibiscus and aster, all borne on a continuous foliate scroll, above a band of linked ruyihead encircling the foot, the interior left undecorated, the base inscribed with a six-character seal script reign mark.  

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art, Hong Kong, 08 Oct 2009

LIVERPOOL.- A new exhibition Slaves of Fashion: New Works by The Singh Twins, explores how the history of Indian textiles is a global story of Empire, conflict, enslavement and luxury lifestyle which has contemporary relevance - connecting to ethical trade and consumerism in the world today. 

It will run at the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool from 19 January until 20 May 2018. 

In particular, the exhibition focuses on the relationship between Britain and India to uncover hidden details of Europe’s colonial past and its legacies. 

The exhibition comprises almost 20 new artworks by internationally-renowned artists The Singh Twins, whose Indian heritage has played a significant role in influencing their work, inspired by the ancient tradition of Indian miniature painting. The Twins’ art always tells a story and is rich in symbolism. Combining Eastern and Western traditions, their style uses artistic language from centuries ago to address a range of modern, social and political themes. At the heart of their work lies the desire to make a real difference. 

The Singh Twins, Indigo: the Colour of India © The Singh Twins: www.singhtwins.co.uk

In a new departure for The Singh Twins, most of the artworks in the ‘Slaves of Fashion’ series are mixed media - combining their traditional hand painted techniques with digitally created imagery. Eleven of these feature symbolic portraits of historical figures which will be displayed, life-size, as digital fabric artworks on lightboxes to reveal the full intricacy of their design and the eclectic, detailed, symbolic and narrative style for which The Singh Twins are renowned. 

Each one highlights a different theme relating to India’s textile industry. Collectively they reveal not only the beauty, renown and craftsmanship of Indian fabrics but the political, social and cultural significance of their complex histories. 

One of these exceptional portraits, ‘Indigo: The Colour of India’, tells the story of Indigo, which was used in India as a fabric dye for thousands of years. Known as ‘blue gold’, it was highly valuable and prized for its rich, deep shade and colour-fast qualities. This artwork features Mumtaz Mahal, wife of Emperor Shah Jehan, in whose memory the Taj Mahal was built in Agra, also a centre for indigo production. Queen Mumtaz wears blue denim jeans, commonly associated with modern western fashion and values. The artists challenge this idea, revealing the true origins of denim fabric in 16th-century India. Other details of the artwork show how Indigo was used as currency to buy enslaved people.  

The Singh Twins, The King is Dead: Long Live the King © The Singh Twins: www.singhtwins.co.uk

It is accompanied by an interactive augmented reality app, which enables visitors to explore the creative processes and detailed stories behind the art, when they hold their mobile device up to the textile. 

A further nine artworks in the ‘Slaves of Fashion’ series are works on paper. Through these, The Singh Twins explore how the relationship between trade, conflict, and consumerism in an age of Empire and colonialism, has modern day parallels and relevance to current debates around ethical trade and responsible consumerism. One of these works titled, ‘The King is Dead: Long Live the King’ (featuring Donald Trump, enthroned on a catwalk) explores how colonial attitudes and labour exploitation associated with the historical trade in cotton, continue on in today’s fashion industry. 

Also included are 40 highlights from over 100 objects across National Museums Liverpool’s collection, which have inspired the exhibition. 

The Singh Twins said: “Issues around shared heritage and identity which challenge generally accepted notions of cultural ownership and the perceived divide between East and West and past and present, have always been central to our art. Our aim in working with National Museums Liverpool collections for the ‘Slaves of Fashion’ series was to show how seemingly unrelated objects from different historical periods and cultures connect through the universal story of Indian textiles and remain relevant to diverse, modern audiences”. 

The Singh Twins, Coromandel: Sugar and Spice, Not So Nice © The Singh Twins: www.singhtwins.co.uk

On display from National Museums Liverpool are jewellery, dresses, ceramics, books, paintings, Indian textiles and embroidery. Items which have been taken out of the stores include ‘Slave hanging by the ribs’, an engraving by artist and poet, William Blake which is also incorporated in The Singh Twins’ artwork, ‘Coromandel: Sugar and Spice, Not So Nice’. Also from the stores is a bone china tea pot, cup and saucer hand-painted and made by Wedgwood. 

A rare and delicate 18th-century book, ‘Deliciae Botinicae’ by Georg Dionysius Ehret features beautifully hand-painted watercolour images of flowers and plants, several of which have been referenced by The Twins in their ‘Slaves of Fashion' series. 

Sandra Penketh, Director of Art Galleries at National Museums Liverpool, said: “The Singh Twins work locally, but have a well-deserved international reputation. We are delighted to have the opportunity to show their latest work at the Walker Art Gallery. Their newest pictures are not only visually stunning but also intriguing and challenging at the same time.” 

Nicola Scott, Exhibition Curator, Art Galleries said: “This is an exciting collaboration. Through The Singh Twins taking inspiration from our objects, we’ve rediscovered our own collections and been able to interpret them in a new and unexpected way. Visitors are going to see a diverse selection of artworks and objects from across our galleries in a new context, alongside The Singh Twins’ fascinating new artworks.  

“It is an opportunity to explore the challenging issues behind some of the objects, connecting them in surprising ways to contemporary culture. It’s always a pleasure to share our collection more widely and give people the chance to see different pieces from our collections or our works afresh”. 

The Singh Twins, Chintz: The Price of Luxury © The Singh Twins: www.singhtwins.co.uk

The Singh Twins are British artists with an international reputation. They have each been awarded an MBE and an Honorary Doctorate in Fine Art in recognition of their unique contribution to contemporary art. 

This exhibition is a collaboration between National Museums Liverpool, The Singh Twins and the University of Liverpool. Slaves of Fashion: New Works by The Singh Twins has been developed in partnership with Wolverhampton Art Gallery. The exhibition will tour to Wolverhampton Art Gallery from 21 July to 16 September 2018. 

The app, developed by the artists in collaboration with Liverpool based immersive experience studio Draw & Code, is called 'THE SINGH TWINS: Slaves of Fashion' and is available for free download on IOS and Android app stores.

Lot 103. A very rare set of blue and white 'Tea Cultivation' dishes, Qianlong period, circa 1750; 15 1/8 in. (38.5 cm.) diameter, the largest. Estimate USD 40,000 - USD 60,000. Price realised USD 150,000. ©Christie's Images Ltd 2018

Painted with the various stages of tea cultivation within borders ofrocaillerie, numbered in underglaze blue to reverse, in various sizes.

Note: In the 1690s the Kangxi Emperor commissioned a work to portray significant Chinese industries, the Gengzhi tu, or Illustrations of Ploughing and Weaving. This album of woodblock prints outlining the stages of silk cultivation and rice production was then expanded by the Qianlong Emperor to include porcelain production. 

Westerners were fascinated by these exotic Chinese industries. Both tea and silk were luxuries previously unknown in Europe, and tea, in particular, had become the driving commercial force of the China trade by the mid-18th century. Export artists created watercolor and gouache albums for their Western clientele delineating the stages of tea cultivation in highly idealized and romanticized views.  

Lot 125. A large verte-Imari monteith, Qianlong period, circa 1740; 20 ¼ (51.5 cm.) wide. Estimate USD 50,000 - USD 80,000. Price realised USD 87,500. © Christie's Images Ltd 2018

Lot 21. A rare pair of deer water-droppers and covers, Kangxi period (1662-1722); 9 ¼ in. (23.5 cm.) high, overall. Estimate USD 40,000 - USD 60,000. Price realised USD 81,250. © Christie's Images Ltd 2018

Each modeled seated with a lingzhi sprig in its jaw, the coats picked out and spotted in white enamel, the handle in the form of a pine bough, the covers the top of the heads with antlers.

Provenance: Possibly the pair listed as "two browne painted staggs" in the 1688 inventory at Burghley House, England.
Sold Christie's, London 1 November 1982, lot 371.
The collection of Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen, New York.

Note: This very rare pair of spotted deer, an animal considered symbolic of both abundant riches and longevity, seems to be one of three pair known. One pair, without covers, sold Christie's, London, 13 July 1959; a complete pair was sold Christie's, London, 14 May 1968, the property of Lady Sarah Roubanis, from the collection of the late Consuelo Vanderbilt Balsan. It is unclear whether the complete pair is the same as the present deer - and as the pair found in the Burghley House inventory.

Christie's. Chinese Export Art Featuring 100 lots from Marchant, est 1925, 18 January 2018, New York

Lot 22. A very large pair of iron-red and underglaze blue jars and covers, Kangxi period, first quarter 18th century; 24 ¼ in. (61.5 cm.) high, overall. Estimate USD 20,000 - USD 30,000. Price realised USD 56,250. © Christie's Images Ltd 2018

With bands of petal-shaped panels enclosing landscape vignettes, the collar of scrollwork, and the domed covers of conforming decoration with underglaze blue knop finial.

Provenance: The Benjamin F. Edwards III Collection of Chinese Export Porcelain, Christie's New York, 22 January 2002, lot 44.
Collection no. 'A52'.

Christie's. Chinese Export Art Featuring 100 lots from Marchant, est 1925, 18 January 2018, New York

Lot 167. A large famille rose punchbowl, Qianlong period (1735-96); 15 ¼ in. (38.7 cm.) diameter. Estimate USD 25,000 - USD 40,000. Price realised USD 56,250. © Christie's Images Ltd 2018

Very finely enameled with a continuous scene of Chinese families at leisure, inside a gilt grapevine border and central flower spray.

Provenance: The collection of Alfred Beit (1903-1994). 
Anonymous sale; Sotheby’s, London, 6 November 2013, lot 88.

MARCHANT, EST. 1925 (Lots 59-100 and 116-173)

Note: Sir Alfred Lane Beit, 2nd Baronet, was a British Conservative Party politician, art collector, philanthropist and honorary Irish citizen.

Christie's. Chinese Export Art Featuring 100 lots from Marchant, est 1925, 18 January 2018, New York