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Lot Essay
The present lot appears to be unique, as no other Yongzheng-marked bowl of this pattern appears to be published.
It is highly probable that this bowl was produced early in the Yongzheng period, as the decoration relates very closely to that found on several slightly larger Kangxi yuzhi bowls, which in turn, were produced late in the reign. The stylised rendition of the floral motifs on the present lot and on the Kangxi prototypes, is a precursor to the more naturalistic painting style to emerge in the Yongzheng period. Compare the present bowl with several Kangxi examples. Three Kangxi yuzhi marked bowls with identical decoration and inscription to the present lot were sold in London, the first from the Collection of Sir Percival David, on 5 December 1961, lot 38; the second, on 2 April 1974, lot 351; and the last on 9 July 1974, lot 405. Cf. also the bowl sold in our London Rooms, 16 December 1981, lot 113, illustrated by A. du Boulay, Christie's Pictorial History of Chinese Ceramics, London, 1984, p. 238, fig. 2; the example illustrated by Shen Zhiyu, The Shanghai Museum of Art, pl. 52; one in the British Museum, illustrated by S. Jenyns, Later Chinese Porcelain, London, 1977, pl. XXXV, fig. 2; and another from the Hartog Collection, included in the Exhibition Tausend Jahre Chinesische Keramik, Museum fur Kunst und Gewerbe, Hamburg, 1974, and illustrated in the Catalogue, no. 138.
There are also other comparable Kangxi bowls with variations on the auspicious greetings, all of which would have been appropriate to the birthday of the Emperor. The inscription Shou shan fu hai (which translates as 'may you live as long as the mountains and have good fortune as abundant as the seas') is seen on the pair of bowls from the Collection of the T. Y. Chao Family Foundation, included in the Hong Kong Museum of Art exhibition, Ming and Ch'ing Porcelain, 1978, and illustrated in the Catalogue, no. 98; as well as on a bowl from the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Bernat, now in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, illustrated in Oriental Ceramics, Kodansha Series, vol. 10, Tokyo, 1980, pl. 52.
The shape of the present bowl and the way in which the Yongzheng yuzhi mark has been written may be related to those found on a small number of famille rose ruby-ground bowls, such as the one sold in these Rooms, The Imperial Sale, 29 April 2002, lot 563; and another from the Grandidier Bequest in the Musée Guimet, illustrated by H. Moss, By Imperial Command, Hong Kong, 1976, pl. 79, where the author suggests that two other related famille verte bowls of this design, pls. 77 and 78, come from a group of wares that dates from 1722 to circa 1725.
It is highly probable that this bowl was produced early in the Yongzheng period, as the decoration relates very closely to that found on several slightly larger Kangxi yuzhi bowls, which in turn, were produced late in the reign. The stylised rendition of the floral motifs on the present lot and on the Kangxi prototypes, is a precursor to the more naturalistic painting style to emerge in the Yongzheng period. Compare the present bowl with several Kangxi examples. Three Kangxi yuzhi marked bowls with identical decoration and inscription to the present lot were sold in London, the first from the Collection of Sir Percival David, on 5 December 1961, lot 38; the second, on 2 April 1974, lot 351; and the last on 9 July 1974, lot 405. Cf. also the bowl sold in our London Rooms, 16 December 1981, lot 113, illustrated by A. du Boulay, Christie's Pictorial History of Chinese Ceramics, London, 1984, p. 238, fig. 2; the example illustrated by Shen Zhiyu, The Shanghai Museum of Art, pl. 52; one in the British Museum, illustrated by S. Jenyns, Later Chinese Porcelain, London, 1977, pl. XXXV, fig. 2; and another from the Hartog Collection, included in the Exhibition Tausend Jahre Chinesische Keramik, Museum fur Kunst und Gewerbe, Hamburg, 1974, and illustrated in the Catalogue, no. 138.
There are also other comparable Kangxi bowls with variations on the auspicious greetings, all of which would have been appropriate to the birthday of the Emperor. The inscription Shou shan fu hai (which translates as 'may you live as long as the mountains and have good fortune as abundant as the seas') is seen on the pair of bowls from the Collection of the T. Y. Chao Family Foundation, included in the Hong Kong Museum of Art exhibition, Ming and Ch'ing Porcelain, 1978, and illustrated in the Catalogue, no. 98; as well as on a bowl from the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Bernat, now in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, illustrated in Oriental Ceramics, Kodansha Series, vol. 10, Tokyo, 1980, pl. 52.
The shape of the present bowl and the way in which the Yongzheng yuzhi mark has been written may be related to those found on a small number of famille rose ruby-ground bowls, such as the one sold in these Rooms, The Imperial Sale, 29 April 2002, lot 563; and another from the Grandidier Bequest in the Musée Guimet, illustrated by H. Moss, By Imperial Command, Hong Kong, 1976, pl. 79, where the author suggests that two other related famille verte bowls of this design, pls. 77 and 78, come from a group of wares that dates from 1722 to circa 1725.