The Vases of the 'Hundred Treasures'

Jorge Welsh Research and Publishing, 2019 Book. New. Hardcover. 1st Edition. English text.; Hardcover (without dust jacket).; 23.5 x 29.7 cm.; 0.8 Kg.; 70 pages with 72 colour illustrations.; The Vases of the 'Hundred Treasures' accompanies the 20th annual exhibition of export art at Jorge Welsh Works of Art. This catalogue is part of the three-volume box set Treasures, alongside Pocket Treasures: Snuff Boxes from Past Times and Timeless Treasure: The Runic Calendar Staff. A pair of vases decorated with the Chinese subject of the 'hundred treasures' adapted to suit foreign tastes is the focus of the catalogue of the same name. Dating to the Yongzheng period (1723-1735) and depicting a continuous composition of antiques, flowers and animals, these famille rose vases are among the best export wares produced in the 18th century. Western designations for the 'hundred treasures' subject derive in a literal sense from the Chinese expression baibao, in which bai or 'hundred' stands for 'many', although the subject itself is historically known in China as 'antique objects' or bogu. Visually similar to the European 'still life' genre, bogu is more specific in that the objects depicted have a high value because of their age, quality and provenance. The Vases of the 'Hundred Treasures' brings to light the multiple auspicious designs that decorate these extraordinary vases..