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Auction sale reference

An Exceptionally Rare And Important Blue And White Jar, GUAN

Sold for £15,688,000 at Christie's on Jul 12, 2005.

Blue and white porcelain jar shown from several sides, with painted figures, animals, and floral decoration.

Lot description

YUAN DYNASTY, MID 14TH CENTURY Robustly potted standing on a broad, low foot rising to a full rounded shoulder below a short cylindrical neck and a slightly thickened mouth rim, vividly painted in a deep and vibrant cobalt blue around the body with a narrative scene depicting a robed figure seated in a two-wheeled cart drawn by a tiger and a leopard, following two foot soldiers each carrying a spear, approaching a rustic bridge across a stream beneath a waterfall, the cart followed by two equestrians on either side of dramatically painted rocks, one in military attire and carrying a banner bearing the characters Gui Gu, the other in scholar's clothes, on a prancing piebald horse and turning towards the first horseman, the composition punctuated by pine, bamboo, flowering prunus, plantain, rose and willow, all between a classic wave band around the neck, a peony scroll around the shoulder, and a band of upright lappets enclosing emblems around the base, hairline crack on shoulder 13 in. (33 cm.) diam., wood stand, fitted box

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