Identificationtitle(s): pear-shaped vase with shishi, monster heads and gilded bands with ruyi motif. Object type: vase object number: ak-nm-6371-a. Description: pear-shaped porcelain vase with flared neck and raised rim, covered with a monochrome crackled grey glaze and on biscuit gold. On either side of the shoulder a monster head with ring; around the foot, shoulder and neck a band with ruyi motif, decoration in gilded biscuit. Gilding flakes. Monochromes. Manufacture. Maker: potter: anonymous. Place of manufacture: china. Date: ca. 1750 - ca. 1799school / style: qing dynasty (1644-1912) / qianlong period (1736-1795). Physical characteristics: porcelain with a monochrome glaze and imitation mounting. Material: porcelain glaze gold technique: rotary processing / shaping / baking / gilding / glazing. Dimensions: height 16. 8 cm. Rim: diameter 6 cm. Belly: diameter 9 cm. Foot: diameter 5. 7 cm. Explanationak-nm-6371 six small vases • monochromes • part of royer's porcelain collection • published: jörg 1997, no. 269 porcelain with a monochrome grey, crackled glaze was valued and collected in europe in the 18th century. The collection of augustus de sterke in dresden contains a number of such pieces and there are several known examples of grey crackled porcelain in french gilt bronze mounts. In the louvre there is a pair of jugs with mounts from ca. 1740-1750 that also have the lion heads and the bands with ruyi motifs in an unglazed red-brown clay [lunsingh scheurleer 1980, fig. 307]. In royer's vases the heads and bands are provided with gilding that has become flaky in the meantime, most probably added later, in the cabinet of rarities. There may have been an original much more restrained gilding that was then touched up; there are chinese examples known with such gilding [hobson 1925-1928, vol. V, pl. L. E 231]. The jugs in the louvre do not have that, however. The question of whether these vases (as well as the lidded vases ak-nm-6370) belonged to royer's porcelain collection or were added during the period of the royal cabinet of rarities (1816-1876) cannot yet be answered with certainty [van campen 2021, pp. 67-70 for a discussion of royer's porcelain collection and possible later additions]. In principle, the data in the museum archives indicate that they belonged to royer's collection, but the coarseness, stiffness, the almost flowing shape of the lidded vase and the somewhat flat lid are strong arguments for experts in favor of a 19th-century dating. Only the vase that hobson depicts [see above] and dated 'early 18th century' corresponds in every way to royer's example, with the exception of the mouth: this is wider in hobson's. For the rest, other examples are increasingly flowing in shape, better in proportion and with a more attractive complexion and craquelé. The question is whether this lack of finesse necessarily points to a late dating. It is a pity that we have not been able to find a description in the inventory of susanna louise huygens (1714-1785), royer's great-aunt from whom he took over a large quantity of porcelain. We do find in the catalogue of a large chinese collection that was auctioned in amsterdam in 1786: 'two diverse ditto [flower bottles] crackled, with gilded ornaments and rings and ditto borderwork' [jan rijke collection, auctioned 9 may 1786 and following days; van campen 2000, p. 63]. Three consecutive numbers in that catalogue (72-74 of the section ‘old japanese and chinese porcelain and rarities’ contain that description – so it was about six small vases. It does not provide any more clarity than that this type of porcelain was even sold in the netherlands (where there was always remarkably little interest in monochromes). Sources: daniel françois lunsingh scheurleer, chinesisches und japanisches porzellan in europäischen fassungen, braunschweig, 1980. Christiaan j. A. Jörg, chinese ceramics in the collection of the rijksmuseum, amsterdam: the ming and qing dynasties, london, 1997. Jan van campen, follow-up to: jean theodore royer (1737-1807) and his collection of chinese objects, amsterdam, 2000. Jan van campen, collecting china; jean theodore royer (17327-1807), collections and chinese studies, hilversum, 2021. Subject. Who: jean theodore royer. Acquisition: transfer of management 1885. Date: ca. 1750 - ca. 1799.
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