A Small Chinese Cizhou Painted JarYuan DynastyThe tapering body painted in brown slip on a creamy white-slip ground under a clear glaze with two large shaped cartouches enclosing leafy prunus flower sprays, each separated by another cartouche of a wide band containing two intersecting geometric triangular patterns in brown slip enclosing freely drawn sun rays, in brown slip, double band of brown slip on the shoulder and single band of brown slip above the foot, the bottom of the thick foot exposed to show the stoneware, the base covered with the creamy white slip glaze. Height 5 3/4 inches. Note:This rare small jar with its shape and decoration combines two of the most highly desired decorative forms used in the development of Cizhou wares. The first form are the large cartouches enclosing leafy prunus flower sprays which reflected the rise of free flowing artistic elements. See Sothebys Hong Kong 4 April 2017, lot 3201 (Realized price HKD 375,000) with a Cizhou jar of similar form and size to the one offered here also freely decorated in dark brownish black over white slip with three large floral sprays. But there is also the second decorative form on the jar offered here, the triangular patterns enclosing freely drawn sun rays in brown slip. See Christies New York 12 September 2018, lot 827 (Realized price USD 175,000) which is a slightly larger jar that is decorated with similar geometric triangular patterns.C Property from the Collection of Steven J. Harvis