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Lot Essay
These beaker vases originally formed part of a garniture and would have accompanied three similarly-decorated baluster vases and covers. Garnitures with this design were evidently made in several sizes, and the present vases appear to be amongst the largest. Entire garnitures with this pattern are extremely rare, although a three-piece garniture of similar size to these vases were in the collection of Augustus the Strong, and were exhibited La maladie de porcelaine..., East Asian Porcelain from the Collection of Augustus the Strong, Leipzig, 2001, catalogue no. 17, pp. 48 and 49. A single beaker vase with this design (50 cm. high) is in the Lady Lever Art Gallery, illustrated by R. L. Hobson, Chinese Porcelain & Wedgwood Pottery, London, 1928, pl. 19, no. 144, p. 38. Baluster vases do appear on the market from time to time, but beaker vases with this design are extremely rare.
The scenes in the panels are taken from late 17th century engravings: two are from 'The Three Graces' by Robert and Nicolas Bonnart; one is from 'The Five Senses' by Henri Bonnart; and the fourth resembles a print by H. Bonnart entitled 'L'Air' from 'The Elements'. The Bonnart brothers were renowned for their prints depicting fashionable French court ladies. Three of the prints copied on these vases are illustrated by D. Howard and J. Ayers, China for the West, London and New York, 1978, vol. I, p.80; see also pp. 79 and 80 for a discussion on the design, and a jar and cover from a smaller garniture, which was in the Mildred R. and Rafi Y. Mottahedeh Collection, and sold first in Sotheby's New York, 30 January 1985, lot 25, and later in Christie's New York, The Hodroff Collection, part III, 21 January 2009, lot 170. Christie's New York also sold a massive jar and cover with this design (30 in. high), 21 January 2003, lot 258. Other jars and covers are in the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the De Sypesteyn Museum, Loosdrecht; another, over-decorated in reddish-brown enamel, is in the Swedish Royal Collection.
The scenes in the panels are taken from late 17th century engravings: two are from 'The Three Graces' by Robert and Nicolas Bonnart; one is from 'The Five Senses' by Henri Bonnart; and the fourth resembles a print by H. Bonnart entitled 'L'Air' from 'The Elements'. The Bonnart brothers were renowned for their prints depicting fashionable French court ladies. Three of the prints copied on these vases are illustrated by D. Howard and J. Ayers, China for the West, London and New York, 1978, vol. I, p.80; see also pp. 79 and 80 for a discussion on the design, and a jar and cover from a smaller garniture, which was in the Mildred R. and Rafi Y. Mottahedeh Collection, and sold first in Sotheby's New York, 30 January 1985, lot 25, and later in Christie's New York, The Hodroff Collection, part III, 21 January 2009, lot 170. Christie's New York also sold a massive jar and cover with this design (30 in. high), 21 January 2003, lot 258. Other jars and covers are in the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the De Sypesteyn Museum, Loosdrecht; another, over-decorated in reddish-brown enamel, is in the Swedish Royal Collection.