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Lot Essay
The present bowls represent the peak of celadon production at the Yaozhou kilns. The elegance of their potting and artistry of their carved decoration render these the finest examples of Yaozhou wares. The outlines of the peony design on the interiors have been deeply cut with vertical and oblique edges. Where the glaze pooled, the colour of the glaze appears darker at the deepest vertical cut and gradually lighten as it become thinner towards the surface on the oblique side, producing a dichromatic effect which greatly enhances the design.
The elegant style of the peony motif and the great success of the carving on this bowl prompts comparison with some of the most famous and highly regarded Yaozhou wares. The peony scroll on the cover of the famous Yaozhou cylindrical box illustrated by R. Scott, Imperial Taste - Chinese Ceramics from the Percival David Foundation, San Francisco, pp. 32-3, no. 10, is a case in point. Comparison can also be made with the peony motifs on the sides of the famous Yaozhou pillow in the Seikado Bunko Art Museum. See Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka (ed.), The Masterpieces of Yaozhou Ware, Tokyo, 1997, p. 34, no. 37.
A similar bowl carved with a single peony flower on the interior from the Falk Collection was sold at Christie's New York, catalogue date 20 September 2001, lot 36. The Falk bowl also has an unusual recessed circular medallion in the interior well.
The elegant style of the peony motif and the great success of the carving on this bowl prompts comparison with some of the most famous and highly regarded Yaozhou wares. The peony scroll on the cover of the famous Yaozhou cylindrical box illustrated by R. Scott, Imperial Taste - Chinese Ceramics from the Percival David Foundation, San Francisco, pp. 32-3, no. 10, is a case in point. Comparison can also be made with the peony motifs on the sides of the famous Yaozhou pillow in the Seikado Bunko Art Museum. See Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka (ed.), The Masterpieces of Yaozhou Ware, Tokyo, 1997, p. 34, no. 37.
A similar bowl carved with a single peony flower on the interior from the Falk Collection was sold at Christie's New York, catalogue date 20 September 2001, lot 36. The Falk bowl also has an unusual recessed circular medallion in the interior well.