Bidspirit auction | Chinese Ox Blood Vase (Signed)

Chinese Ox Blood Vase (Signed) - Chinese porcelain archaistic fanghu-form vase of tall angular section, with flaring neck, pear-shaped body, paired rectangular tubular handles, and substantial square pedestal foot, covered overall in a mottled copper-red to liver-red glaze with darker purplish tones. The bronze-derived form recalls ancient Zhou and Han ritual vessels and reflects the long Chinese tradition of reviving archaic shapes in later ceramics. One face is finely decorated in gilt with a standing scholar or immortal and accompanying vertical inscriptions, combining the austere monochrome surface with imagery associated with literati culture and classical antiquarian taste.The underside bears a six-character impressed mark reading Da Song Xuanhe Nian Zhi, ?Made during the Xuanhe reign of the Great Song, ? referring to the Xuanhe era of Emperor Huizong, 1119?1125. Huizong?s court was especially celebrated for its collecting and study of ancient bronzes, painting, and calligraphy, making the Xuanhe reference particularly appropriate to this bronze-inspired form. The combination of archaistic fanghu shape, copper-red glaze, gilt figure and calligraphy, and Xuanhe reign mark consciously evokes the sophisticated antiquarian culture associated with the Northern Song court. Approximately 11Hx5W