Lot 84 竹林七賢 | A Chinese blue and white 'Zhu Lin Qi Xian 竹林七賢' bottle vase

竹林七賢 | A Chinese blue and white 'Zhu Lin Qi Xian 竹林七賢' bottle vase

Transitional period

未知

€ 6.000 – € 12.000

H: H. 38,3 cm

未知

The vase is potted with a slightly flared mouth and a tall neck interrupted by a bulbous knop, above a globular body supported on a footring, decorated in underglaze cobalt blue. The neck is painted with characteristic stylised tulip motifs, flames and pearls. The body is painted with a continuous depiction of the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove (Zhu Lin Qi Xian 竹林七賢). Set among bamboo, rocks and plantain, the seven scholars are variously shown reading, playing the qin, playing Go, and gazing into the distance. The lower section is decorated with a band of hanging lappet motifs. The recessed base is glazed within an unglazed footrim.
The Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove were a celebrated group of scholars of the Wei–Jin period: Ji Kang, Ruan Ji, Shan Tao, Xiang Xiu, Liu Ling, Wang Rong and Ruan Xian. Traditionally believed to have gathered in a bamboo grove to drink wine and engage in philosophical discussions, free from the constraints of conventional etiquette, they came to symbolise scholarly integrity, freedom of spirit and withdrawal from worldly affairs.
瓶口微敞，長頸中部凸起一節，圓鼓腹，下承圈足。腹部以青花通景繪 ‘竹林七賢’ 圖，七位高士置身於竹林、山石及蕉葉之間，或讀書，或撫琴，或對弈，或遠眺。口沿至肩部分層繪花葉及火焰紋。底部施釉，圈足露胎。
‘竹林七賢’ 指魏晉時期嵇康、阮籍、山濤、向秀、劉伶、王戎及阮咸七位名士。相傳他們常聚於竹林之中，飲酒清談，不拘禮法，後世遂以此題材象徵文人的高潔品格、曠達胸襟及遠離世俗的生活理想。
Provenance:
Rob Michiels Auctions, Bruges, 15 February 2020, lot 787. (sold EUR 11.050,00) (link)
The Mr. and Mrs. Baert-Devos Collection, Belgium. Acquired from the above. (see added scan)