Asian Art Auction

November 28, 2016

LOT 205

Lot 205

A Finely Enamelled Yellow Ground Famille Rose Buddhist Stupa, Qing Dynasty

A Finely Enamelled Yellow Ground Famille Rose Buddhist Stupa, Qing Dynasty
Lot 205 Details
A Finely Enamelled Yellow Ground Famille Rose Buddhist Stupa, Qing Dynasty

清 黃地琺瑯彩瓷藏式佛塔

The shrine is superbly modelled and enamelled against a brilliant yellow ground with stylised lotus blooms borne on multi-hued vines issuing smaller flowers below monster masks linked by pendant beaded chains, surmounted by a lotus-lappet pedestal supporting a set of 13 graduated Buddhist umbrellas, each tier with a narrow floral band, set atop a skirted cap with a ribboned Buddhist emblem of the vase, the stupa supported on a square base decorated with bands of lappets and floral scrolls on a green ground
height 17.4" — 44.2 cm.

Estimate $4,000-$6,000

Realised: $3,600
Price Includes Buyer's Premium ?

Lot Report

Provenance:

From an important Canadian collection

Note:

A stupa refers to Buddhist commemorative monuments, usually housing sacred relics associated with the Buddha or related saints. For the convenience of traveling and private devotion, portable models of stupas made of bronze became a standard ritual object for practitioners of Tibetan Buddhism. In the first-half of the 18th Century, the imperial Chinese kilns started to mimic other mediums, such as bronze, wood, and hardstone, through the use of porcelain to showcase their mastery of their skill. This idea achieved its zenith under Emperor Qianlong's reign (1736-1795). As an enthusiastic Buddhist follower and a porcelain devotee, Emperor Qianlong combined his passions by reproducing Tibetan ritual objects through porcelain. This trend continued until the end of the Qing Dynasty. Despite being a later example, the current stupa is important amongst this category because it continued the tradition of porcelain Buddhist ritual objects. It also showcases the expertise of the craftsman because the stupa had to be fired in four separate sections. Sophisticated factors such as clay expansion and glaze shrinkage had to be considered. For a similar porcelain stupa from the late Qing Dynasty, see Tranthy Beijing, December 16, 2012, lot 238. Another from the James White collection was sold in Poly Beijing, June 5, 2013, lot 6158. Both were documented in Atouch 2013 auction reference booklet, page 682-683. For yellow ground penba hu, see Bonhams London, November 6, 2008, lot 9.

CONDITION DETAILS

For condition information please contact the specialist.

LOT 205
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About Condition Ratings

  • 5 Stars: Excellent - No discernable damage, flaws or imperfections
  • 4 Stars: Very Good - Minor flaws or imperfections visible only under close inspection using specialised instruments or black light
  • 3 Stars: Good - Minor flaws visible upon inspection under standard lighting
  • 2 Stars: Fair - Exhibits flaws or damage that may draw the eye under standard lighting
  • 1 Star: Poor - Flaws or damage immediately apparent under standard lighting (examples: missing components, rips, broken glass, damaged surfaces, etc.)

Note: Condition ratings and condition details are the subjective opinions of our specialists and should be used as a guide only. Waddington’s uses due care when preparing condition details, however, our staff are not professional restorers or conservators. Condition details and reports are not warranties and each lot is sold “as is” in accordance with the buyer’s terms and conditions of sale. In all cases the prospective purchaser is responsible for inspecting the property themselves prior to placing a bid.