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hello to all,
I am new to this forum and I am learning a lot. I have a vase with the mark of Xu Ren. Form and quality are appreciated but in view of the number of copies I would like your opinion much more informed than mine. I am all the more puzzled that I found a vase very exactly similar passed for sale at robs Michels auction (sale of February 22, 2023, lot 510). Everything is similar until the calligraphy poem which has only some minor variations, especially in the arrangement of the final characters.
Your opinion would help me a lot even if I do not have a finacière wait because the vase pleases me, but good to know if it is original can only help me to love it more. Thank you all

He Xuren (1882-1941) was a member of the famed 'eight friends of zushan'.
His works if original command high prices and are very much sought after.
The copies being made today are becoming really good and in some cases are better than the masters.
It's difficult to determine by the fuzzy limited pictures that you have posted here.
However, from what I can see I believe that your vase is a later copy.
The seal marks and the style and manner of the calligraphy does not match. He Xuren was a master calligrapherist.
Regards,
Mark@imperial
Adams Asian Art

This is a later copy/imitation of He's work. A discussion of his works and later copies featuring the donkey rider theme can be found on the gotheborg.com discussion board here: https://www.gotheborg.com/cgi-bin/discus/board-auth.cgi?file=/154961/418598.html

apologies Mark, this was meant to attach to the original post rather than to your reply

Hi Rat,
It's fine my friend.
I assume that the discussion on Goth concluded that most of these if not all man on donkey were made during the very late Guangxu period through to the Republic period?
Regards my friend,
Mark@imperial
Adams Asian Art

there are a bunch of them dated to the 1930s, but I think more recent copyists have been pretty prolific even if they write the same dates on their pieces...

I was one of the few skeptics about the vase featured in that thread, but it ended up selling at auction for a high price, so I was clearly out of step with market sentiment (or at least that of a couple of bidders!)

This is the second time I have replied to this post. I do not know what happened to my first post days ago.
Anyway He Xuren was a member of the famous 'eight friends from zushan'.
His style was famous for snow scenery.
He was also a well known and respected calligrapher.
His works are hotly sought after by collectors hence the copies now being produced in China.
In my opinion the calligraphy is wrong as well as the seal marks hence its a later 20th Century copy.
Regards,
Mark@imperial
Adams Asian Art

hello, I thank all those who have responded. Your opinions join mine and, my faith, it is the most logical. The vase remains pleasant. Thank you again for all your efforts

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