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Lot Essay
One of the eight famous master ceramic painters of the Republic period, Deng Bishan (1874-1930) was known as the 'Eight Friends of Zhushan'. Among his most celebrated works were those depicting fish swimming amidst acquatic plants. As Deng Bishan was the son of an iron-monger, his chosen style name was Tiejianzi, 'The Child of Iron Shoulders' which appears on one of the present plaques. The remaining three plaques have Deng's familiar sealmarks of Bishan and Dengshi (Master Deng); with a lesser used sealmark of Yule (The Joy of fish) which aptly sums up the scenes of all four paintings.
Compare with five enamelled ceramic plaques of the same subject-matter, illustrated by S. Kwan, Chinese Porcelain of the Republic Period, The Muwen Tang Collection Series, 6, Hong Kong, 2008, pp. 216-225, nos. 79-83. The same painting style also appear on a small group of scholar's objects such as the Deng Bishan signed brushpot from the same collection, dated to 1930, offered in the present sale, lot 3281; and a 'fish' waterpot sold at Christie's London, 11 July 2006, lot 197, dated to 1926.
Compare with five enamelled ceramic plaques of the same subject-matter, illustrated by S. Kwan, Chinese Porcelain of the Republic Period, The Muwen Tang Collection Series, 6, Hong Kong, 2008, pp. 216-225, nos. 79-83. The same painting style also appear on a small group of scholar's objects such as the Deng Bishan signed brushpot from the same collection, dated to 1930, offered in the present sale, lot 3281; and a 'fish' waterpot sold at Christie's London, 11 July 2006, lot 197, dated to 1926.