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Lot Essay
Ever since its first use on Imperial porcelains of the Yuan and early Ming dynasty, copper-red decoration was a challenge for the potter to create with any degree of consistency. The copper-red decoration on the current bowl has been successfully fired to a particularly even and bright red tone which appears to float within the thick transparent glaze. The design is taken from early 15th century prototypes, such as the small rounded bowl with Xuande mark, included in the Exhibition of Imperial Porcelain of the Yongle and Xuande Periods Excavated from the Site of the Ming Imperial Factory at Jingdezhen, Hong Kong Museum of Art, 1989, illustrated in the Catalogue, no. 75. The motif, however, is more often found on stem bowls.
Yongzheng bowls of this type appear to vary considerably in size. A slightly larger Yongzheng bowl (22.3 cm. diam.) of this design is illustrated in Sekai Toji Zenshu, Tokyo, 1983, vol. 15, pl. 39. Another slightly larger bowl (15.2 cm. diam.) of this design was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 1 June 2011, lot 3917. A bowl of identical size to the present example from the Nanjing Museum, was included in the exhibition, Qing Imperial Porcelain of the Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong Reigns, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1995, illustrated in the Catalogue, no. 49 where it is illustrated with two other variations of auspicious symbols found on this type of bowl. The first is designed with three fruits replacing the fish, as on the present bowl, forming the 'Three Abundances' of longevity, wealth and progeny. The other is with five bats providing the imagery of the 'Five Blessings': old age, health, wealth, love of virtue and a peaceful death. Another similar example decorated with fish was exhibited at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, The Charles B. Hoyt Collection Memorial Exhibition, 1952, illustrated in the Catalogue, no. 446.
Yongzheng bowls of this type appear to vary considerably in size. A slightly larger Yongzheng bowl (22.3 cm. diam.) of this design is illustrated in Sekai Toji Zenshu, Tokyo, 1983, vol. 15, pl. 39. Another slightly larger bowl (15.2 cm. diam.) of this design was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 1 June 2011, lot 3917. A bowl of identical size to the present example from the Nanjing Museum, was included in the exhibition, Qing Imperial Porcelain of the Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong Reigns, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1995, illustrated in the Catalogue, no. 49 where it is illustrated with two other variations of auspicious symbols found on this type of bowl. The first is designed with three fruits replacing the fish, as on the present bowl, forming the 'Three Abundances' of longevity, wealth and progeny. The other is with five bats providing the imagery of the 'Five Blessings': old age, health, wealth, love of virtue and a peaceful death. Another similar example decorated with fish was exhibited at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, The Charles B. Hoyt Collection Memorial Exhibition, 1952, illustrated in the Catalogue, no. 446.