Page 206 - Nov. 27, 2019 Christie's Important Works of Art HK

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A BLUE AND WHITE ‘FISH’ CIRCULAR BOX AND COVER
WANLI SIX-CHARACTER MARK WITHIN A DOUBLE CIRCLE AND OF THE PERIOD (1573-1619)
The top of the domed cover is painted in brilliant cobalt tones depicting several types of
fish including a mullet, sole, bream and perch, swimming in a pond amid floating aquatic
plants. The theme is repeated on the sides. The box is raised on a straight of conforming
shape and decorated with the same theme on the exterior.
7º in. (18.5 cm.) diam.
HK$300,000-500,000 US$39,000-64,000
Fish has been popular choice of the decorative theme in China since the Neolithic period. The
design of fish swimming amongst aquatic plants developed on later ceramics as a decorative
theme is due to a combination of artistic, philosophical and lexical reasons. Much of the
popularity of fish as a decorative theme, especially in later dynasties, hinges on the fact that
the word for fish (yu) is a homophone for the word for abundance or surplus (yu). Over time,
the depiction of fish in water has come to provide a rebus for yushui hexie ‘may you be as
harmonious as fish and water’. The particular design on the current box and cover which includes
a mullet, sole, bream and perch, is especially auspicious, as these fish are pronounced qing, bai,
lian and gui, combining to sound like the phrase qingbai lianjie, which means 'of good descent,
modest and honorable'. Thus, if presented as a gift, the current box and cover would pay a most
gracious compliment to the recipient.

ᒞ⭧ᔧ 㤎⩈᪺Ⅾ༞ᮿ♄⯰↥ 㢴२Վಧ᜷ᕋᢎ

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