Vat-Shaped Cup with Chicken Design in Contrasting Colors - View 1

The small cup is shaped like a large vat with an open mouth, tapering body, and flat bottom. The design combines straight and curly lines in elegant features. The exterior surface of the cup is decorated with two groupings of hens and chicks surrounded by strange rocks (known as lake rocks) and Chinese roses and orchids in a scene of early spring. The foot is not glazed. On the bottom, the artisan included a double-outlined square with six regular-script Chinese characters that denote the production date in the Chenghua reign of the Ming dynasty (Da Ming Chenghua nianzhi). The cup has been highly esteemed throughout its history due to its novel form, lively scene, and fine crafting.
The work is considered an exemplary of ceramics with contrasting color ornamentation that were made during the Chenghua reign. The luster of the cup is produced with an exquisite, translucent white glaze that appears gentle and moist both inside and out. The decorative picture matches the shape of the cup and is well designed with its own rhythmic focuses around the outside of the cup. The picture is painted with a variety of coloring techniques. It is simple yet elegant, austere yet full of brilliance. The coloring technique is a continuation of that of Huang Quan, a master of bird-and-flower paintings of the Five Dynasties (907-960). The entire picture was painted upon the finished surface, which enhanced the effects of the realistic painting.
Prominently recorded in the Ming and Qing archives, this cup was used in the palace after being fired in the imperial kiln at Jingdezhen during the Chenghua reign of the Ming dynasty. The Veritable Records of the Wanli Reign (Shenzong shilu) of the Ming dynasty includes records of a pair of vat-shaped cups with chicken designs in contrasting colors worth a hundred-thousand taels of silver from the Chenghua reign. Due to the high esteem with which the cups were held, numerous imitations were made of the pieces. Imitations were made during the Kangxi, Yongzheng, Qianlong, Jiaqing, and Daoguang reigns of the subsequent Qing dynasty. Those manufactured during the Kangxi reign are considered the best imitations.

full view of the item