Provenance
Vanderven Oriental Art, 's Hertogenbosch.
The Mr. and Mrs. Baert-Devos Collection, Belgium. Acquired from the above in 1990 and accompanied by a copy of their valuation report. (see added scan)
Description
Of globular form, the vessel is surmounted by a tall, arched handle and a domed top pierced with a small circular aperture. The body is painted in underglaze blue with a continuous landscape of mountains, trees, a pavilion and a pagoda, with a solitary figure in a boat, the decoration executed in a fluid combination of outline and washes. The domed top is similarly decorated, while the handle is adorned with a scattered floral motif. The base is left unglazed.
This type of vessel is generally associated with lime containers used in the preparation of betel quid, an important social and ceremonial custom across Southeast Asia. The form closely follows Vietnamese prototypes, where such lime pots, often forming part of a complete set of implements, were essential for storing slaked lime, a key ingredient in betel chewing. While the practice was known in certain coastal regions of southern China, vessels of this specific type are thought to have been produced primarily for export to Southeast Asian markets.
Reference:
For a near-identical example, see Katharine Butler and Teresa Canepa, 'Leaping the Dragon Gate: The Sir Michael Butler Collection of Seventeenth-century Chinese Porcelain', p. 182, no. III.2.12.
Lot 68
Kangxi
H.: 14 cm
Estimation
€ 4.000,00 – € 8.000,00
Provenance
Vanderven Oriental Art, 's Hertogenbosch.
The Mr. and Mrs. Baert-Devos Collection, Belgium. Acquired from the above in 1990 and accompanied by a copy of their valuation report. (see added scan)