One of the standout moments during Asia Week with Tessier Sarrou! After an intense bidding war both over the phone and in person, this exquisite blue and white porcelain baluster vase fetched an impressive €755,200. This particular piece is noteworthy for more than its visual appeal—it is a prime example of a technique dating back to the Hongwu reign (1368-1398), the founder of the Ming dynasty.
Unlike many other “blue and white” porcelains, this vase was modeled after a bronze, a significant innovation introduced by Hongwu. The only Ming emperor to be buried outside Beijing, Hongwu initiated this practice to replace costly bronze with porcelain for ritual vases, aiming to restore the empire’s depleted finances. This cost-saving measure gradually became the norm, as illustrated by this vase from the Zhengde era, the 10th emperor of the Ming, and continued into the Qing dynasty. Emperor Qianlong, keen to align his reign with his illustrious predecessors, cherished past creations by commissioning contemporary pieces inspired by them.
Description: This baluster vase features a high polylobed flared neck, crafted from porcelain with underglaze blue decoration. The body is adorned with lotus flowers amid scrolling foliage, bordered by a frieze of banana leaves and ruyi. The foot is decorated with a frieze of clouds and scrolling foliage, while the neck showcases a leiwen frieze, flamed pearl, foliage scrolls, and clouds, flanked by two polylobed handles with rings. The collar bears the four-character Zhengde kaishu mark.
China – Zhengde Period (1506 – 1521)
Reference: Two similar vases are housed in the British Museum, accession numbers 1947.0712.204 and PDF A.681.
Provenance: Parisian private collection
Height: 44.6 cm
Price realized: €755,200
