A CHINESE BLUE AND WHITE BEAKER VASE

A CHINESE BLUE AND WHITE BEAKER VASE
TRANSITIONAL C.1640

The flared neck painted with a scene of a figure offering a tribute of a vase containing three halberds to an official who stands beneath a willow tree and is flanked by attendants holding fans, the central section has two further figures on a bridge in a mountainous landscape, above a band of pointed leaves to the flared foot, the different registers, rim and foot incised with anhua bands, the base incised with a cursive '1658', 45cm.

Provenance: the collection of Nicolas de la Mare Thompson (1928-2010).

The halberd was the weapon associated with Lu Bu, a warrior in the Yuan dynasty novel, the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. The ancient weapon symbolises rank in military achievement. During the Tang dynasty it was customary for official households of the third rank and above to post a halberd at their gate. The halberd is a pun for ‘rank’, it represents rapid promotion.

明末清初 青花平升三級紋花觚
來源：Nicolas de la Mare Thompson（1928-2010）收藏。Nicolas是朱湯生（1941-2011）的哥哥，朱湯生曾於1992-2003任職蘇富比亞洲藝術部主席。