A rare blue and white zhadou, seal mark and period of Qianlong (1736-1795)

well potted with a compressed globular body rising from a short foot to a wide neck flaring towards the rim, the body and neck painted with a composite floral scroll below pendent ruyi heads, all divided by a key-fret band encircling the shoulder, above overlapping lappets and a classic scroll band around the foot, inscribed to the base with a six-character seal mark, wood stand.

Note: Another rare Qianlong reign-marked blue and white zhadou of this size and form was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 30th November 2011, lot 2954, and again at Christie's New York, 17th March 2017, lot 1221.

A fine small blue and white leys jar, zhadou, Qianlong six-character seal mark in underglaze blue and of the period (1736-1795); 3 3/8 in. (8.5 cm.) high. Sold for 75,000 USD at Christie's New York, 17th March 2017, lot 1221. © Christie's Images Ltd 2017 

The form of the zhadou is archaistic, encapsulating the refined taste of the Qianlong Emperor, who valued works of art created in imitation of antiquity. A bamboo zhadou vessel of similar form in the Palace Museum, Beijing was included in the exhibition Views of Antiquity in the Qing Imperial Palace: Special Catalogue to Celebrate the 80th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Palace Museum, Macau Museum of Art, Macau, 2005, cat. no. 131, where it is noted that the form follows the early Shang prototype.