A 'JIZHOU' PAINTED 'WAVE' JAR SONG – YUAN DYNASTY

of cylindrical section resting on a countersunk base, with sharply angled shoulders below the galleried rim, the buff-coloured body painted in dark brown with cresting waves and with overlapping petals radiating around the mouth, covered all over in a transparent glaze

The neck has been reconsolidated and retouched with the originals. There is a stabilised hairline crack of approx 1.2 cm. There are some shallow flakes to the mouthrim. The jar is otherwise in overall good condition.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The Jizhou kilns were among the most famous ceramic kilns of the Song and Yuan periods and were closely related to Chan (or Zen) Buddhism. With an attractive shape and finely painted decoration, the lot on offer may be the only extant example of its type. The wave patterns on this vase are among the most representative and refined decorative patterns of the Jizhou kilns and can be found on many types of Jizhou ware, but the shape of the vase is exceedingly rare. A Jizhou vase with highly similar wave patterns and a similar shape, but thinner and over twice as tall, was sold at Sotheby's London, 7th November 1980, lot 119. A vase similar to the one sold at Sotheby's London, its shoulders featuring lotus-petal patterns similar to those on the lot on offer, but with three cartouches painted with human figures, was sold at Christie's New York, 23rd March 2012, lot 1972. A vase in the Meiyintang Collection, close to the lot on offer in shape and featuring similar lotus-petal patterns on the shoulder, but painted with bird-and-flower and banana-leaf patterns around the body is published in Regina Krahl, Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, London, 1994-2010, vol. 1, no. 519. Wave patterns similar to those seen on the lot on offer can be found amongst other vessel types from Jizhou, such as the long-necked vase, including one in the collection of the National Museum of China and published in the exhibition catalogue Jizhou Kilns, National Museum of China, Beijing, 2004, p. 70; and another sold at Sotheby's London, 12th June 1990, lot 179. Two important extant fragments featuring the wave patterns are both former temple furnishings. The first is a guan vase excavated from the site of the Jizhou kilns and inscribed in brown with year of dingwei (1307), published in Pang Minghan, Jizhou Kiln, Beijing, 2007, pl. 67. The second is a water basin bearing an inscription in brown dated to the year of jimao of the Yuan Dynasty (1279), published in the exhibition catalogue Chanfeng yu Ruyun: Song Yuan shidai de Jizhouyao ciqi [Chan Airs and Confucian Resonances: Ceramics from the Jizhou Kilns of the Song and Yuan Dynasties], Shenzhen Museum and Shenzhen Municipal Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Shenzhen, 2012, no. 107.