Footnotes

北宋晚期/金早期 磁州窯白地黑剔花牡丹紋梅瓶

Provenance:
Priestley & Ferraro Chinese Art, London
Emmanuel Christofides (1928-2020), Athens and London, acquired from the above on 30 April 2003

Published, Illustrated and Exhibited:
Priestley & Ferraro Chinese Art, Kilns & Conquerors. Chinese Ceramics from the 10th to the 14th Century, 2001, no.18
D.Priestley and M.Flacks, A Life in the Company of Song Ceramics, London, 2017, pp.116-117, no.52 (published and illustrated)

來源：
倫敦古董商Priestley & Ferraro Chinese Art
Emmanuel Christofides (1928-2020)，雅典和倫敦，於2003年4月30日從上處獲得

展覽著錄：
Priestley & Ferraro Chinese Art，《Kilns & Conquerors. Chinese Ceramics from the 10th to the 14th Century》，2001年，編號18
D.Priestley和M.Flacks，《A Life in the Company of Song Ceramics》，倫敦，2017年，第116-117頁，編號52（著錄插圖）

The result of Oxford Authentication Ltd. thermoluminescence test no.P202c10 dated 9 December 2002, is consistent with the dating of this lot.

本拍品經牛津熱釋光檢測編號P202c10（2002年12月9日），結果與其斷代相符

Among the most striking achievements of Song stoneware are the black-and-white Cizhou vessels, masterfully adorned using the sgraffito technique. This particular piece, with its gracefully slender silhouette and dynamic relief designs carved through lustrous black glaze to a radiant white ground, stands out as a particularly vibrant and sophisticated example of this highly refined ceramic tradition. Other vases may feature black-and-white decoration but are entirely covered with a clear glaze. In contrast, the present vase showcases a more advanced technique, with the clear glaze carefully applied solely to the white-slipped areas, preserving the natural gloss of the black glaze untouched.

The present lot is extremely rare, however, another comparable example of this type of meiping with similar decoration is in the Goto Art Museum, Tokyo, illustrated in Ceramic Art of the World, vol.12, Tokyo, 1977, p.125, no.119. See also another similar vase in the Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka, formerly part of the renowned Ataka Collection and, prior to that, the Loo Collection, illustrated by J.Wirgin, Song Ceramic Designs, Stockholm, 1970, pl.50 f.

Other related Cizhou vases engraved with peonies in black glaze, meiping, Northern Song dynasty, can be seen in the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge (acc.no.OC.6-1937); the Kyoto National Museum (acc.no.GK159); the British Museum, London, illustrated by J.Rawson, Chinese Ornament: The Lotus and the Dragon, London, 1984, fig.62a. See also a vase with peony decoration, Northern Song dynasty, in the Cleveland Museum of Art (acc.no.1948.119). See also a related vase, Northern Song dynasty, illustrated by R.Krahl, ed., China Without Dragons: Rare Pieces from Oriental Ceramic Society Members, London, 2016, no.66. Another is in the Kyoto National Museum, illustrated in Masterworks of the Kyoto National Museum, Kyoto, 2004, no.15. See also a related Cizhou stoneware sgraffiato-decorated vase with peony, Northern Song dynasty, in the Asia Society Galleries, New York, illustrated by G.Eskenazi, A Dealer's Hand: The Chinese Art World Through the Eyes of Giuseppe Eskenazi, London, 2012, p.59.

These vases are traditionally attributed to the Northern Song dynasty, a dating that is likely accurate. However, excavations at the Guantai kilns in Ci County, Hebei Province, have unearthed shards of closely related black-and-white sgraffiato meiping from strata corresponding roughly to the early 12th century. See Guantai Cizhou yaozhi, Beijing, 1997, col.pl.21, fig.2. This period spans the reigns of the Northern Song emperors Huizong and Qinzong, as well as the early years of the Jin dynasty under Emperor Xizong.

The Guantai shards belong to a class of vases with carved black-and-white decoration, similar to the present example. However, they differ in one key respect: the decoration on the Guantai vases is fully covered by a clear glaze, which enhances both the black and white elements. In contrast, the present vase exhibits a more refined technique, with the clear glaze meticulously applied only to the white-slipped areas, allowing the natural gloss of the black glaze to remain undisturbed. Thus, although many black-and-white Cizhou vessels may appear similar at first glance, the sgraffiato technique used to create them varied significantly, and the pieces likely originated from different kilns.

The decoration of peonies is also in keeping with Northern Song dynasty trends of the literati. During the Song dynasty, peonies were celebrated as symbols of prosperity, elegance, and cultural refinement, earning the title 'king of flowers' (hua wang). Their association with wealth and status made them highly sought-after by literati, nobles, and collectors. This admiration is epitomised in Ouyang Xiu's (1007-1072) essay, A Record of the Peonies of Luoyang (Luoyang Mudan Ji), which offers a vivid portrayal of the peony's allure in the famed gardens of Luoyang, a city renowned for its cultivation of the flower. Ouyang Xiu meticulously catalogued different varieties, praised their aesthetic qualities, and reflected on the cultural significance they held in Song society. His work not only highlights the sophisticated horticultural practices of the time but also underscores the broader connection between nature, art, and intellectual pursuits in Song dynasty culture, where the appreciation of flowers like the peony became a marker of taste and erudition.

Compare with a related Cizhou black-glazed sgraffiato peony vase, meiping, Northern Song dynasty, which was sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 8 April 2023, lot 3511.