China. Superbly potted, the sides finely decorated depicting a sage drifting towards a pavilion enshrouded in clouds approached by an attendant carrying a wrapped qin as well as a further scholar and his attendant amid pines, bamboo, and rockwork, all between a ruyi-collar enclosing lotus blossoms at the shoulder and a lappet band below.

Glazed in deep aubergine, the design within raised borders filled with translucent turquoise and white glazes, the base unglazed.

Provenance: Collection of Aline Thorold (1869-1951) and Ernest James Wythes (1868-1949), Copped Hall, Essex, until 1917 and subsequently the Wood House, Essex, United Kingdom. By descent to Barbara Dorothy Wythes (1896-1984) and (Francis) Guy Robert Elwes (1895-1966) at The Wood House, Essex until 1961 and subsequently Ham Spray House, Marlborough, United Kingdom. By descent to Aline Mary Margaret (Elwes) McDonnell (1923-2023) and Hubert McDonnell Jr. (1919-2004), Greenwich, Connecticut, United States and thence by descent in the same family to the last owner.
Aline Thorold, daughter of politician Sir John Thorold and the Honorable Alexandra Willoughby, was raised at Syston Park in Lincolnshire. She married the wealthy landowner and yachtsman Ernest James Wythes and received an OBE (Order of the British Empire) in 1918. Her lineage traces back to King George II of England.
The family home, Copped Hall in Essex, near the medieval town of Epping, was originally occupied by the FitzAucher family, who served as foresters. The name 'Copped' derives from the Old English word for peak, referring to the site's vantage point. The 18th-century mansion stood until it was destroyed by fire during World War I. The family salvaged furniture, paintings, and objects, which were later sold or dispersed to cover the losses. The remaining items were moved to The Wood House, where Aline’s mother, Barbara, resided.
Aline later married New Yorker Hubert McDonnell, and they settled in Greenwich, Connecticut. In the early 1950s, they shipped the remaining collection bequeathed to Aline, preserving it lovingly ever since.
Condition: Very good condition with some old wear and firing irregularities, light scratches, minor chips and losses, and few minuscule touchups. Overall, this is exceptionally well-preserved, and potential bidders should request a blue-light video to confirm the condition.

Weight: 3 kg
Dimensions: Height 35.5 cm

Fahua glazes are a distinctive type of Chinese ceramic decoration that emerged during the Ming Dynasty and gained prominence in the 15th and 16th centuries. These glazes are notable for their vibrant, jewel-toned colors and the complex technique used to apply them. Fahua wares involved outlining the design on the ceramic body with raised or incised lines of clay, which formed compartments. These compartments were then filled with different colored glazes, creating a design somewhat similar to cloisonné enamel work but adapted for ceramics.

The style of painting on this vase and others like it is commonly known as 'windswept', which refers to the way in which the sashes and hair of the figures flutter in the breeze. All of these vases have a similar treatment of the clouds and landscape details and have decorative borders above and below the main band. See for example a blue and white ‘windswept’ meiping, depicting a scholar and his attendant carrying a qin, sold at Christie’s New York, 21 March 2014, lot 2113. The motif is more often seen on blue and white vases and much rarer in fahua glazed wares.

Literature comparison:
Compare a related fahua meiping with a windswept design, dated to the Ming dynasty, in the Statens Historika Museer, Stockholm, accession number XLVIII:VII:B.d.a.01._HWY. Compare a closely related fahua glazed meiping, dated to the Ming dynasty, in the Cleveland Museum of Art, accession number 1920.405.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Sotheby’s New York, 15 March 2017, lot 654
Price: USD 56,250 or approx. EUR 67,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A fahua meiping Ming dynasty, 16th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related form, glaze, and motif. Note the straw-colored accents and somewhat muddier details.