Tennants Auctioneers
Lot 15
A Chinese Porcelain "Red Cliff Visit" Wine Ewer and Cover, Kangxi/Yongzheng, of ovoid form with overhead handle, painted in underglaze blue with four figures in a covered boat in a landscape panel, the reverse with a fifty-six character poem and with two mock seals, ingot brush and ruyi sceptre mark in underglaze blue 15.5cm highThe decoration on this ewer refers to the visit to the site of one of the most famous battles in Chinese history, known as Chibi Zhi Zhan "Red Cliffs" by the Song Dynasty poet Su Shi (1037-1096). The poet's Red Cliffs odes are amongst his well-known and popular works; the scene on this lot being derived from a Ming period woodblock print illustrated edition of the poem.The battle took place in 208AD between the combined forces of the southern warlords Liu Bei and Sun Quan against the northern warlord Caocoa, leading to the founding of the Three Kingdoms establishing the division between southern and northern China along the Yellow River. The subject became popular in the 17th and early 18th century with Ming loyalists at a time when the Ming Dynasty had been overthrown by the Qing.For a similar ewer, but Yongzheng mark and period, see Bonhams, New Bond Street, 14 May 2009, lot 36 Examined under UV, no restoration.The spout with a flat chip to the end and also slightly abraded. Slight pitting to the side of the knop.Glaze rich and free of any notable scratches, wear and pitting.Well potted with no real noted warping. To be critical, the handle has a very slight lean to one side.