A rare mughal-style spinach-green jade 'chrysanthemum' marriage bowl


Qianlong Superbly carved as a chrysanthemum flowerhead, the elegantly-rounded sides with finely-curved petals radiating from the centre pistil, raising to an everted and lipped rim, flanked by a pair of loose-ring handles in the form of larger and smaller chrysanthemum blossoms issuing from foliage, the low feet similarly carved as radiating petals below a band of acanthus leaves around the exterior, wood stand.24.5cm (9 5/8in) wide (2).
|清乾隆 痕都斯坦式碧玉菊瓣洗Provenance: Dent CollectionA European private collection, acquired from Spink & Son Ltd., London, on 19 April 1956, and thence by descent來源： Dent舊藏歐洲私人收藏，於1956年4月19日購自倫敦古董商Spink & Son Ltd.；並由後人保存迄今The present lot is superbly carved demonstrating the craftsmanship achieved in the jade ateliers during the height of the Qing dynasty. 'Hindustani' jades, as they were called by the Qianlong emperor, were highly prized and therefore influenced Chinese jade carvings. Bowls decorated with auspicious symbols expressing wishes relating to marital bliss and blessing were traditional gifts bestowed at Imperial celebrations. Chrysanthemums were emblematic of longevity and fertility, because of their health-giving properties and multitude of their petals. The word for chrysanthemum is a homophone with that for 'eternity' but also with the number nine which also evoked infinity, being the product of three times three, the most basic unit comprising Heaven, Man and Earth. From at least the Han dynasty, people drank chrysanthemum wine on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month to prolong their life.A similar spinach-green jade bowl, carved with designs of chrysanthemums, 18th century, is in the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, illustrated by R.Y.L d'Argencé, Chinese Jades in the Avery Brundage Collection, 1972, p.138, pl.LXII.