• Grand vase balustre couvert en porcelaine de Chine bleu et blanc du XIXe siècle à décor d'enfants pêcheurs mis en scène dans un cabinet de curiosités d'antiquités | Large 19th century Chinese blue and white porcelain covered baluster vase decorated with fishing children presented in an antique collector environment
  • Vue d'ensemble de face du grand vase balustre en porcelaine de Chine bleu et blanc d'époque Guangxu circa 1885 présentant les cartouches d'enfants pêcheurs et le couvercle dôme d'origine | Front view of the large 19th-century Chinese blue and white porcelain baluster vase showing fishing children medallions and original domed lid
  • Vue de face du grand vase balustre en porcelaine de Chine bleu et blanc du XIXe siècle révélant les cartouches d'enfants pêcheurs et le motif du nœud sans fin bouddhiste | Front view of the 19th-century Chinese blue and white porcelain baluster vase revealing fishing boys medallions and endless knot motif
  • Vue de face du grand vase balustre en porcelaine de Chine bleu et blanc d'époque Guangxu circa 1885 dévoilant un cartouche d'enfants pêcheurs au lotus et le couvercle orné de crevettes | Front view of the large 19th-century Chinese blue and white porcelain baluster vase showcasing a lotus-fishing children medallion and shrimp-decorated lid
  • Vue de face du grand vase balustre en porcelaine de Chine bleu et blanc d'époque Guangxu circa 1885 mettant en valeur le cartouche d'enfants pêcheurs à la tige de lotus | Front view of the large 19th-century Chinese blue and white porcelain baluster vase highlighting the lotus-fishing boys medallion
  • Mise en situation du grand vase balustre en porcelaine chinoise bleu et blanc sur une table en bois sombre avec une tasse à thé | Lifestyle view of the large Chinese blue and white porcelain baluster vase displayed on a dark wood table next to a teacup
  • Gros plan sur le couvercle en dôme et le col du vase en porcelaine du XIXe siècle révélant les décors de crevettes peints à la main en bleu de cobalt | Close-up of the 19th-century porcelain vase domed lid and neck showing hand-painted cobalt blue shrimp patterns
  • Gros plan sur la partie supérieure du vase en porcelaine de Chine du XIXe siècle montrant le cartouche des enfants pêcheurs et le couvercle à décor de crevettes | Close-up of the upper portion of the 19th-century Chinese porcelain vase showing the fishing children medallion and shrimp-decorated lid
  • Gros plan sur la partie supérieure du vase en porcelaine chinoise bleu et blanc montrant le motif du nœud sans fin entouré des cartouches d'enfants pêcheurs | Close-up of the upper section of the Chinese blue and white porcelain vase showing the endless knot symbol framed by fishing children medallions
  • Vase balustre en porcelaine de Chine d'époque XIXe couché avec couvercle séparé montrant l'ouverture du col et l'état parfait de l'émail | 19th-century Chinese porcelain baluster vase lying down with separate lid showing the rim opening and perfect porcelain condition
  • Gros plan sur le col ouvert et l'épaule du vase en porcelaine de Chine bleu et blanc du XIXe siècle montrant la tranche du col et le décor supérieur | Close-up of the open rim and shoulder of the 19th-century Chinese blue and white porcelain vase showing the rim edge and upper motifs
  • Gros plan sur le couvercle en porcelaine de Chine du XIXe siècle posé séparément montrant la prise en bouton bleu et le décor peint de crevettes | Close-up of the 19th-century Chinese porcelain jar lid displayed separately showing the blue knob finial and hand-painted shrimp motifs
  • Vase balustre en porcelaine de Chine debout sans son couvercle, présenté aux côtés du couvercle retourné montrant sa face interne en terre brute d'origine | Chinese porcelain baluster vase displayed without lid alongside the inverted cover revealing its unglazed ceramic underside
  • Vue de la base du vase balustre en porcelaine de Chine couché sur le côté, présenté avec son couvercle dôme d'origine posé à côté | View of the base of the Chinese porcelain baluster jar lying on its side, displayed next to its original domed cover
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Large Chinese porcelain baluster vase, "Hundred Children" decor, circa 1885

Large Chinese porcelain baluster vase, "Hundred Children" decor, circa 1885

VAS-CHN-1061

€600,00
€600,00
Sale Reserved
Shipping calculated at checkout.
China, Imperial Period, Guangxu Dynasty

The Work and its Dating

Measuring 46 cm in height and 27 cm in diameter, this monumental baluster vase in Jingdezhen porcelain embodies the pinnacle of the technical revival at the end of the Qing Dynasty, under the reign of the Guangxu Emperor (1875-1908). The purity of its glaze, the use of a vibrant cobalt blue, and the presence of small dark rust-colored firing spots—known as "iron spots"—certainly situate the firing of this piece in a traditional wood-fired kiln at the end of the 19th century.

Iconography

The Poetry of Lotus Fishing and the Allegory of Familial Happiness
The body of the vase unfolds a captivating fresco, entirely dedicated to the aquatic world and the theme of fishing children. Represented in pairs within polylobed cartouches, young boys wearing the traditional "dudou" (silk bib) amuse themselves in the midst of lively water, depicted by a superb accumulation of waves and concentric eddies. One of them proudly holds a fishing rod, while his companion brandishes a long lotus stalk whose generous leaf serves as a parasol.
For the high society of Qing-era China, this scene is a visual rebus of immense subtlety, directly linked to the great traditional theme of the "Hundred Children":
  • The lotus (Lian) evokes continuity.
  • The act of fishing symbolizes the quest for abundance (Yu).
  • The lotus pod laden with seeds (Lianzi) represents the wish for numerous offspring.
  • Thus, this decor whispers a wish for fertility and material prosperity to the beholder: "May your lineage enjoy successive abundance, generation after generation."
The stylistic coherence of the piece is total: the intermediate motifs and the domed lid eschew the usual terrestrial landscapes to represent charming shrimp painted amidst swaying algae. In Asia, the shrimp (Xia) is a homophone for laughter; it symbolizes the joy of living, good luck, and happy longevity. Suspended at its sides, the Buddhist endless knot (Panchang) seals this wish for eternity.

THE OPINION OF GALERIE POPINCOURT

What makes this large baluster vase so rare is the perfect unity of its theme. Where the majority of Qing-period porcelains mix genres, this piece is a true poetic ode to river life and the banks of the Yangtze. The graphic design of the shrimp on the lid and the intermediate sections is incredibly fresh and modern.
The decorator knew how to captivate the eye by establishing a subtle dialogue between the dynamism of the fishing children and the serenity of the lotus.
The true luxury for a collector, however, lies in its state of preservation. Finding a piece of porcelain of this scale, having traversed more than a century of history without suffering the slightest hairline crack, a single chip on the neck, or any restoration to its original lid, is exceptional. The slight traces of ferrous oxidation in the material bear witness to the breath of the period's wood fire: they are to porcelain what patina is to bronze. A masterful piece, vibrant with history and universal gaiety.

Information

Origin: China (Jingdezhen)
Provenance: Private collection, France
Technique: Underglaze cobalt blue on fine porcelain *
Decor: Cartouches with fishing children, shrimp of joy (Xia), lotus buds, and endless knots
Dimensions: Height: 46 cm (with lid) (18.1 in) | Diameter: 27 cm (10.6 in)
Net weight: 5.850 kg
State of preservation: Exceptional. No hairlines, no cracks, no chips. Original dark rust-colored firing spots under the glaze, attesting to its authenticity and its ancient wood-fired kiln origin.
* Gallery note on the "Underglaze Blue" technique
This ancestral method consists of painting the decoration with cobalt pigment directly onto the raw clay. The work is then sealed under a layer of transparent varnish (the glaze) before being fired at a very high temperature. This process requires perfect control of the brush because mistakes are impossible, but it offers an immense privilege to the collector: the decoration, protected from the air and time by the glass of the enamel, is completely unalterable. Its contrasts and radiance will remain unchanged through the centuries.

Display Advice & Shipping
Gallery Advice: Due to its monumental dimensions and its highly pure aquatic theme, this covered jar will shine beautifully if placed as a centerpiece on a dark wood sideboard or on a minimalist pedestal, under warm, direct lighting that will make the depth of its cobalt blue vibrate.
Secure Shipping: Given the exceptional weight (5.850 kg) and the value of the piece, the object will be shipped via a customized, high-density double-boxing protocol, with suspension cushioning and included international ad valorem insurance.

Contents of the shipment

Large covered jar in fine 19th-century porcelain
Certificate of authenticity

The POPINCOURT Gallery's Commitment

The ambiance visuals are creations, carefully designed by GALERIE POPINCOURT to help you envision the object in a particular setting.

Color Rendition: While we capture the true essence of each piece, nuances may vary slightly depending on the scene's lighting and your screen settings.

Accessories & Decoration: Furniture elements, textiles, or decorative objects surrounding the product (vases, books, side tables, etc.) are presentation suggestions. Only the item described in the title and the ad's text is offered for sale.

COA procedures

DIGITAL CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY

A certificate of authenticity accompanies your purchase. No action is required on your part:

Your document in PDF format will be automatically sent to you by email within a maximum of 15 business days, once the delivery of your order has been confirmed by the carrier.
This secure digital format ensures the optimal preservation of your collectible documents.

Note

Lifestyle visuals are creative works, carefully designed by GALERIE POPINCOURT to help you visualize the object in a setting.

Color rendering: Although we capture the true essence of each piece, shades may vary slightly depending on the lighting of the scene and your screen settings.

Accessories & Decoration: The furniture, textiles, or decorative items surrounding the product (vases, books, accent furniture, etc.) are presentation suggestions. Only the object described in the title and the text of the listing is offered for sale.

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