FLAT-BELLIED ARCHAISTIC HU.

20th century, China. Nephrite: streaked pale grayish green to yellowish green with added brown accents. The hu, brought to perfection in the late Zhou and early Han periods, has remained one of the most popular forms in later Chinese art, appearing in many different media including ceramic, cloisonne, bamboo, and hardstones. Its importance in famous collections of the 18th and 19th centuries is attested by its inclusion in catalogues of those collections (Beurdeley, p. 203, and p. 57, an early Zhou example). Later, “revival”, versions sport a variety of decor, some unrelated to bronze prototypes. Often the hu will appear as a pair, used for altar flowers or as important components of impressive ritual or garniture sets, but it also appears alone, and in miniature as well as grand-scale format. The hu illustrated here, which is essentially a handled variation of the hu, is quite different, illustrating the overall utility of this basically simple yet sophisticated shape. A hu begins with a firm round or ovoid foot, moving quickly into a low swelling belly, with a continuous curve through a narrowing waist and long extended shoulder-neck area. The lip often lacks strong definition, and there may or may not be a contemporary lid. Decor in the original bronzes and on bronze-influenced later versions is based on zones of motifs encircling the work, typically with zones of greater dimensions on the upper belly and shoulder areas, and duplicated motifs immediately above the foot and below the lip. There may be two handles on the original bronzes, attached to the neck (or shoulder neck) area. Often they are shaped like elephant heads from which the trunk curves back into the vessel. In some later Bronze Age examples, there are independently-moving suspended bronze circles captured within the grasp of the trunk, or placed partially within the mouth of an animal mask. This flat-bellied strongly-mottled archaistic hu is characteristic of certain revival versions of the classic model, with a much more angular profile and large heavy lid with a fully-developed crouching lion knob. There are also suspended handles of differing sizes attached to growling feline head forms, and a flat-sided belly with large-scale taotie mask form, with the usual pig snout and glaring eyes. This heavy (25.3 lb., 11.5 kg.) variation on the Zhou-Han models, with one large area on the belly reserved for an important design, is not untypical of some of the later revival hu forms in hardstone or even bronze. A later hardstone hu in the Metropolitan Museum, for example, also has a large-scale decor zone on the belly of the vessel, with designs of auspicious portent, and with elephant handles supporting suspended rings (Hai, p. 163, #163). The foot of the present work is a shaped rectangle, and indeed the vessel’s overall shape is neither ovoid or round, but a modified rectilinear form. Reference: The Yangtze River Collection, Later Chinese Jades published by Helga Wall-Apelt, 1993. SIZE: 16.5″ x 9″ x 3″. (41.9 x 22.9 x 7.6 cm.) CONDITION: Stone with small fissures. Very good. 9-95017 (8,000-10,000) – Lot 21

Auction: FAAA - Wall-Apelt Collection - March 2015

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	21	$0.00	FLAT-BELLIED ARCHAISTIC HU. 20th century, China. Nephrite: streaked pale grayish green to yellowish green with added brown accents. The hu, brought to perfection in the late Zhou and early Han periods, has remained one of the most popular forms in later Chinese art, appearing in many different media including ceramic, cloisonne, bamboo, and hardstones. Its importance in famous collections of the 18th and 19th centuries is attested by its inclusion in catalogues of those collections (Beurdeley, p. 203, and p. 57, an early Zhou example). Later, “revival”, versions sport a variety of decor, some unrelated to bronze prototypes. Often the hu will appear as a pair, used for altar flowers or as important components of impressive ritual or garniture sets, but it also appears alone, and in miniature as well as grand-scale format. The hu illustrated here, which is essentially a handled variation of the hu, is quite different, illustrating the overall utility of this basically simple yet sophisticated shape. A hu begins with a firm round or ovoid foot, moving quickly into a low swelling belly, with a continuous curve through a narrowing waist and long extended shoulder-neck area. The lip often lacks strong definition, and there may or may not be a contemporary lid. Decor in the original bronzes and on bronze-influenced later versions is based on zones of motifs encircling the work, typically with zones of greater dimensions on the upper belly and shoulder areas, and duplicated motifs immediately above the foot and below the lip. There may be two handles on the original bronzes, attached to the neck (or shoulder neck) area. Often they are shaped like elephant heads from which the trunk curves back into the vessel. In some later Bronze Age examples, there are independently-moving suspended bronze circles captured within the grasp of the trunk, or placed partially within the mouth of an animal mask. This flat-bellied strongly-mottled archaistic hu is characteristic of certain revival versions of the classic model, with a much more angular profile and large heavy lid with a fully-developed crouching lion knob. There are also suspended handles of differing sizes attached to growling feline head forms, and a flat-sided belly with large-scale taotie mask form, with the usual pig snout and glaring eyes. This heavy (25.3 lb., 11.5 kg.) variation on the Zhou-Han models, with one large area on the belly reserved for an important design, is not untypical of some of the later revival hu forms in hardstone or even bronze. A later hardstone hu in the Metropolitan Museum, for example, also has a large-scale decor zone on the belly of the vessel, with designs of auspicious portent, and with elephant handles supporting suspended rings (Hai, p. 163, #163). The foot of the present work is a shaped rectangle, and indeed the vessel’s overall shape is neither ovoid or round, but a modified rectilinear form. Reference: The Yangtze River Collection, Later Chinese Jades published by Helga Wall-Apelt, 1993. SIZE: 16.5″ x 9″ x 3″. (41.9 x 22.9 x 7.6 cm.) CONDITION: Stone with small fissures. Very good. 9-95017 (8,000-10,000) – Lot 21 Auction: FAAA - Wall-Apelt Collection - March 2015 Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

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FLAT-BELLIED ARCHAISTIC HU.