Lot 191 , A rare Chinese underglaze blue and copper red porcelain model of the ‘Vinegar Tasters’, Qing dynasty, 26.cm high

A rare Chinese underglaze blue and copper red porcelain model of the ‘Vinegar Tasters’, Qing dynasty,
modelled as the famous Song dynasty poets and scholars Su Dongpo (Su Shi) representing Confucianism and Huang Tingjian representing Taoism, standing each side of the monk Fo Yin representing Buddhism, each man tasting from a large flower decorated vat of vinegar, their expression representing the predominant attitude of their philosophy, each with biscuit porcelain heads and hands, their hats and robes decorated in underglaze blue and red with Shou medallions, Shou characters or flowers, the hems of their robes covered in a pale celadon glaze.

The depiction of the Vinegar Tasters tasting peach blossom vinegar was very popular during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, because the three schools of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism represented a different understanding of life in the three most important religious philosophies in China. The subject is best known in Chinese paintings and normally depicts Confucius, Laozi and Buddha. A similar celadon glazed porcelain sculpture of the Vinegar Tasters in Gianfu Museum collection, Beijing is thought to date to the Qianlong period.
26.cm high
£400-600

Condition:
The under glaze copper read has drizzled and not quite taken in places and has turned slightly green in firing on a few patches. There are areas of burnt orange to the interior of the vessel where the glaze hasn’t taken. There are visible over glazed firing cracks around the join of the figures to the central jar - these are in manufacture. There is some fritting to the glaze around the base of the central vessel and the base of each of the figures. Some areas of grubbiness in places which will remove, otherwise in good condition.

Sold for £1,600