The early Ming glazed copper-red pear-shaped vase, Yuhuchunping, produced during Emperor Hongwu’s reign (1368-1398), to be donated to the Macao Special Administrative Region in this ceremony, was purchased at a Hong Kong auction in May last year by Mr. Steve Wynn, Chairman of Wynn Resorts (Macau) S.A.. Costing approximately 78 million Hong Kong dollars, this extremely rare Chinese porcelain will be exhibited as part of the permanent collection of the Cultural Affairs Bureau’s Macao Museum. The donation ceremony is attended by Mr. Edmund Ho Hau Wah, Chief Executive of the Macao S.A.R.; Dr. Fernando Chui Sai On, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao S.A.R. Government; and Mr. Steve Wynn, Chairman of Wynn Resorts (Macau) S.A. The Macao Museum is closed during the ceremony and will reopen to the public at 1pm. The early Ming glazed copper-red vase, Yuhuchunping, stands 32.7cm high, with a mouth diameter of 8.5cm, body diameter of 21cm and base diameter of 12cm resulting in a flared mouth, narrow neck, wider lower body, flat bottom and rim foot. The motifs painted in copper-red under the glaze are divided into seven layers, from top to bottom namely: plantain leaf, classic scroll, overlapping wave, ruyi-head lappet (trefoils), peonies, lotus petal and classic scroll. The glaze of this elegantly thrown and coloured vase has tones ranging from a rich crushed raspberry to a slightly darker mushroom-pink. The peonies are rendered in a natural, unconstrained style. The vase is a classic product of the imperial kilns in the Hongwu Reign (1368-1398) of the Ming Dynasty. The copper-red underglaze technique originated in Jingdezhen during the Yuan dynasty. It used copper-derived pigments to obtain red paint which was then applied over biscuit. After applying the glaze, the piece would then be baked in a kiln at a high temperature. This technical innovation of the period represents a remarkable achievement in the history of Chinese ceramics. The copper red underglaze was highly sensitive to the ambient conditions during production ambience, and could thus vary in tone. Therefore the failure rate of its production was very high. Ceramics painted in underglaze copper-red dating from the Yuan and Ming dynasties are therefore very rare and highly appreciated. In order to provide the appropriate conditions for this masterpiece, the Macao Museum has created an exhibition space featuring the necessary security measures. This precious piece of Chinese porcelain, which will be placed on view immediately after the ceremony, will attract locals and visitors to Macao. This ceremony also includes the unveiling of the updated roll of donors of the Museum in recognition of the valuable contribution of all those who have generously given to the Macao Museum. These altruistic acts promote the development of the museum’s collections and, in turn, help foster an understanding of Macao’s historic significance.
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