A Chinese Cizhou slip-decorated pottery pillow Song... Lot 35

A Chinese Cizhou slip-decorated pottery pillow Song dynasty Decorated in white and brown slip and incised with a motif of scrolling camellias and panels of large-headed peonies to the sides. 24.5cm wide. 宋 磁州窯飾堆白花卉圖紋枕 A flower native to China, Japan and Korea, Camellia has been cultivated for thousands of years to make tea from its white petals; blooming in the winter, around the time of the Lunar New Year (January-February), it is generally associated with winter and endurance, and is often used to adorn homes for Lunar New Year celebrations. Also native of China and cultivated for centuries,peonies symbolise wealth, honour, peace, royalty, masculinity and also feminine beauty, and have long been beloved by Chinese people. They are known to have been grown in royal gardens since the Tang and Sui dynasties at least, thus becoming known as ‘the King of flowers’. A classic subject in Chinese art, they have been widely depicted, from classical paintings, to decorative arts such as lacquer, textiles and porcelain, from blue and white Imperial wares, to famille rose export art.