Blue & White Vase

China

A paired set of blue and white vessels, differentiated by structure yet unified through control of surface and proportion.

Description

The first is a globular vessel, its rounded body opened through a pierced lattice field. The carving creates a continuous interplay between solid and void, framed by dense cobalt ornament that stabilises the surface. The pierced sections are contained within clearly defined panels, ensuring the structure remains legible despite the openness of the form.

The second rises in a tall cylindrical body, expanding into a broad flared rim. Its surface is uninterrupted, articulated entirely through painted decoration. Bands of ornament gather at the base and neck, while the central field opens to more fluid arrangements of birds and flowering branches.

Across both vessels, the painted programme follows the geometry of each form. Areas of compression—base, shoulder, and neck—carry denser patterning, while broader surfaces are treated with greater spatial economy. The contrast between the two lies in proportion and construction rather than decorative approach.

The glaze is even and luminous throughout. The cobalt sits cleanly within the surface, retaining clarity and depth against the white ground.

Context

Within Chinese ceramic production, blue and white decoration is governed by the relationship between form and surface. Ornament is not applied uniformly but organised in response to the vessel’s structure, moving between density and openness across its profile.

In this pair, variation in form—pierced versus continuous—does not disrupt this principle. Each vessel maintains internal coherence, with surface articulation aligned precisely to its geometry.

Provenance

From the Felice Maffei Collection, Italy

Acquired in China, 2010

Available on private enquiry.