A GRISAILLE AND IRON-RED-DECORATED ‘LI TIEGUAI’ VASE, HONGXIAN MARK, EARLY REPUBLIC PERIOD

Expert’s note:
For an interesting discussion of porcelain produced during the short period from December 1915 to February 1916 when General Yuan Shikai adopted the reign title Hongxian in an attempt to restore the monarchy to China, see the article by Simon Kwan, 'Hongxian Porcelain and the Role of Wang Xiaotang', published in Orientations, October, 1991, pp. 65-70. In particular, the author notes that a batch of Hongxian-marked porcelain wares was most likely indeed produced for Yuan Shikai.
The painting on the present porcelain vase is of the highest quality.
The painter not only executed the meticulous wrinkles and folds of Li Tieguai’s skin with a deft hand, but he also painted the clothes with an intricate pattern and shaded the rocks with remarkable mastery. This vase belongs to a rare group of grisaille-decorated porcelain from the Republic period which were decorated by the most skilled painters in Jingdezhen, of which there were exceedingly few left at that time.

China, c. 1915-1930. Delicately potted, the ovoid body supported on a short foot and rising to a gently rounded shoulder with a waisted neck and flared mouth. Superbly painted to the exterior in predominantly iron-red and grisaille with Li Tieguai leaning on his iron crutch as he sits on a dramatically cragged and pierced rock under a towering tree with gnarled branches, before a flaming brazier with his double gourd placed on top, surrounded by further vessels and implements. The base with an iron-red four-character seal mark Hongxian nianzhi within a double square.


Provenance:
From the collection of Dr. Wou Kiuan. Wou Lien-Pai Museum, coll. no. Q.3.16. 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 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:
Very good condition with minor wear and firing irregularities, the body with a fine and short hairline.

Weight: 553.5 g
Dimensions: Height 20 cm


Yuan Shikai
(1859-1916) was the first President of the Republic of China and Emperor of the short-lived Empire of China (1915-1916), taking the era name Hongxian. In 1916, Guo Baochang, an antiques dealer with a good relation to the court, was appointed to oversee Hongxian’s new imperial porcelain production. The intent from the outset was that the items produced were to be of excellent quality. The biscuit used was very thin, the enamels were sent from the Imperial Workshops and the mark used was a red seal reading Juren Tang zhi. The quality of items produced was reputed to be excellent. Unfortunately, during production, because of the very thin biscuit, many objects were damaged. The remaining few perfect pieces were given to the most favored officials and are exceedingly rare today.


Yuan Shikai stepped down as Emperor
on 22 March 1916 and resumed his presidency, dying shortly afterwards in June 1916. After his death, production was halted and the kilns were destroyed, but the enamels were stolen by workers who then proceeded to copy the Juren Tang production, marking their pieces Hongxian nianzhi (also Hongxian Yu Chih or Hongxian Yuan Nian), mostly with Kaishu script. The first copies produced were apparently of extremely high quality, as they were still using the imperial biscuit and enamels, but quality fell as the quantity increased and, presumably, the imperial resources were depleted. One opinion has it that all Hongxian marked pieces are made after the actual period, and that the only possibly genuine mark of the Hongxian period is the Juren Tang if any. Still, from extant pieces it is clear that the porcelain industry was much stimulated at that time and for decades to come, and that pieces of very high quality were made, some of which bear the Hongxian mark while others are marked Juren Tang.


Auction result comparison:

Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 15 September 2011, lot 1642
Price: USD 12,500 or approx.
EUR 15,500
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: An iron-red and grisaille-decorated baluster vase, 20th century
Comparison: Compare the closely related iron-red and grisaille decoration, immortal subject, and Hongxian mark. Note the different form and the size (32.9 cm).


Auction result comparison:

Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s Hong Kong, 29 May 2013, lot 2033
Price: HKD 437,500 or approx.
EUR 65,500
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A grisaille-decorated ‘landscape’ vase, Hongxiang yuzhi blue enamel mark within double-squares, Republic period
Expert remark: Compare the closely related iron-red and grisaille decoration and Hongxian mark, as well as the similar size (20.2 cm). Note the different subject and form.




民國初年洪憲款墨彩鐵拐李瓶


中國，約1915-1930年。敞口，縮頸，卵形瓶身，圈足。瓶身外壁墨彩與礬紅釉描繪李鐵拐拄著鐵拐杖，坐在一棵大樹下的岩石上，面前是一個燒著火的火爐，上面放著他的葫蘆，四周放置著水盆。圈足内礬紅色四字“洪憲年製”款。


來源：
吳權博士收藏；吳蓮伯美術館，館藏編號Q.3.16。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：
品相極好，有輕微磨損，瓶身有細而短的冲線。

重量：553.5 克
尺寸：高 20 厘米


拍賣比較：

形制：非常相近
拍賣：紐約佳士得，2011年9月15日，lot 1642
價格：USD 12,500（相當今日
EUR 15,500
）
描述：二十世紀礬紅墨彩麻姑獻壽圖瓶
專家註釋：比較非常相近的鐵紅色裝飾，仙人主題，以及洪憲款。請注意不同的外形和尺寸 (32.9 厘米)。


拍賣比較：

形制：非常相近
拍賣：香港佳士得，2013年5月29日，lot 2033
價格：HKD 437,500（相當今日
EUR 65,500
）
描述：民國墨彩山水人物圖蘿蔔瓶藍料《洪憲御製》楷書款
專家註釋：比較非常相近的鐵紅色裝飾和洪憲款，以及相似的尺寸 (20.2 厘米)。請注意不同的主題和外形。