KANGXI SIX-CHARACTER MARK IN UNDERGLAZE BLUE WITHIN A DOUBLE CIRCLE AND OF THE PERIOD (1662-1722)

While the phoenix and scrolling lotus motif is often found on porcelain designs from the Ming and Qing dynasties, it is rare to find blue and white porcelain bowls from the Kangxi period with this design. The motif of two large phoenix in flight amongst scrolling lotus draws its inspiration from early Ming dynasty prototypes. Although slightly different in execution, this design can be found on bowls, dishes and other vessels from the Xuande period (1426-1435) and also in the later Ming Jiajing period (1522-1566). A Xuande mark and period bowl with two large phoenix amongst scrolling lotus on the flared sides is in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, is illustrated in Porcelain of the National Palace Museum, Blue and White Porcelain of the Ming dynasty II, part 2, Hong Kong, 1963, p. 140, pl. 56-56c. Another Xuande period anhua ‘phoenix and lotus’ bowl from the Meiyintang Collection was sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, The Meiyintang Collection Part V. An Important Selection of Imperial Chinese Porcelains, 3 April 2013, lot 35. A closely related blue and white ‘phoenix’ bowl with scrolling lotus but of larger size from the Jiajing period was sold at Sotheby’s London, 13 May 2015, lot 280.
Compare to a Kangxi-marked bowl of similar form and size, decorated with three phoenix in flight amidst clouds, sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 8 April 2014, lot 3128.