A blue and white Transitional "Rolwagen" vase, 17th Century.
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Of cylindrical form with a short neck and spreading rim, finely painted with a dignitary and his entourage including warriors and fan-bearers, below a large willow, all before a man leading a water buffalo amidst rockwork and the characteristic V-shaped grass, the scene divided by a mountainous landscape and swirling clouds, all framed by incised borders enclosing foliate patterns and on the neck a collar of upright petals. Height 47.5 cm.
Slightly reduced at rim, crack at base.
Provenance
From the Collection of Captain Nils Gutaf von Heidenstam. Thence by descent.
Literature
Chinese Ceramics in the Collection of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, Christiaan J. A. Jorg in collaboration with Jan van Campen, published by Phillip Wilson and the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, London and Amsterdam, 1997, p 78, also see p 78 pl. 66 for a Rolwagen vase with a similarly decorated overhanging willow tree. Another two examples of Rolwagen vases can be found in La Maladie de Porcelaine – East Asian Porcelain from the Collection of Augustus the Strong, Eva Strober, Edition Leipzig, Berlin, 2001, p 32, pl. 9, as well as another example of the Chinese rebus, p 30, pl. 8. Also see for a selection of Rolwagen vases, Shunzhi Porcelain – Treasures from an Unknown Reign, Michael Butler, Julia B. Curtis, Stephen Little, Art Services International, Alexandria, Virginia, 2002, p 96, pl. 6, p 114, pl. 16, p 126, pl. 22.1.
More information
The scene depicted is possibly that of an official as recorded by Bang Gu in the story of Bing Ji enquiring about an ox in his History of Han and goes as follows;Bing Ji was the prime minister under Emperor Xuan of the Han dynasty. One day he and his aides were riding through the capital when they came upon a scene of a street fight. Bodies of the injured and the dead were lying in the streets. But Bing Ji passed by without saying a word. His aides were perplexed. Going a little further, Bing Ji saw a man driving an ox. The ox was panting with its tongue sticking out. Bing Ji stopped to chat with the man, asking him how far he had traveled. His aides thought he had lost his sense of proportion, querying about small things and ignoring big ones. Bing Ji replied; it’s the duty of the magistrate of Chang’n and municipal officials to deal with street fights. The prime minister should not get involved. It would not be appropriate for me to stop in the street to make inquiries. My duty is to review their performance, deciding whether they have done a good job, and then make recommendations to the emperor for promotions or demotions. Now it is spring time. But it is hot. If an ox is gasping after walking only a few miles, it may indicate unseasonable weather. This is serious because harvest could be affected. People’s livelihoods are at stake. That’s why I stopped to talk to the man.”Another story suggested in connection with this scene is that it depicts Emperor Yao, first of the sage-kings, in front of his chariot beneath a parasol. He is asking Xu You, a reclusive sage and cowherd, to assume the reins of government.
