219 - GUAN-TYPE GLAZED CONG-FORM BRUSHPOT, CHENGHUA MARK

GUAN-TYPE GLAZED CONG-FORM BRUSHPOT, CHENGHUA MARK Dimensions: Height 18,7 cm Wide 12,6 cm Depth 12,6 cm Weight: 1970 grams A substantial porcelain brush pot of archaistic cong form, its cylindrical body articulated by vertical ridges and stepped corner flanges. The vessel is covered overall in a creamy ivory-grey Guan-type glaze suffused with a network of fine crackles, the glaze thinning subtly along the raised edges and corners and thereby emphasising the geometric construction. The form ultimately recalls the ancient jade cong of Neolithic China, ritual objects whose enigmatic geometry fascinated later collectors and scholars. Ming and Qing craftsmen repeatedly revived such early forms, translating them into bronze, ceramic and other materials as part of a sophisticated antiquarian culture. Here the crackled monochrome glaze adds another historical reference, evoking the celebrated Guan wares of the Southern Song. Its strength lies in that deliberate layering of references: ancient jade form, Song-style glaze and Ming mark combined in a refined scholar's object.