H.: 46,5 cm

Provenance: A Dutch collection.

Condition: (UV-checked)
- Of attractive appearance, well-painted in good shades of cobalt blue.
- With a vertical ca. 18 cm glaze line visible on the inside, not showing on the outside but visible under UV-light.
- A section showing subtle overspraying along ca. 75% of the outer rim, most likely covering very small superficial chips and fritting.
- On the inner neck, overspraying visible under UV-light along the entire surface. Under strong light, a ca. 3 x 0,3 cm filled chip on the inner rim appears.

Zhang Xian is known as the protector of young children as well as the bringer of sons. On this vase, Zhang Xian is holding a bow and is surrounded by boys in a rocky landscape. One boy is carrying a halbert, the second a lotus and the third is holding a basket. A four character inscription reads 'xuan hu jia zhao' what can be translated as 'beautiful omen of the birth of a son'.
Xuan hu literally means hanging a bow, which was a common practice when a son was born.