Page 332 - Sotheby's October 3 2017 Chinese Art

3681

A LARGE BLUE AND WHITE A sense of dynamism is captured on this basin
‘DRAGON’ BASIN through the sinuous dragon that clutches
QING DYNASTY, QIANLONG branches of billowing lingzhi, which is further
PERIOD accentuated by the scene of fish swimming
amongst the crashing waves. The design
robustly potted with deep cylindrical sides rising represents the journey of the carp and its
from a flat base, gently sweeping up to a wide transformation into a dragon by swimming
everted rim, the interior boldly painted with a against the current of the Yellow River and
three-clawed dragon in profile pursuing a flaming leaping up at the Dragon Gate. The scrolling
pearl, its sinuous body detailed with scales, lingzhi are reminiscent of Qianlong mark and
the muscular limbs terminating in sharp claws period vases decorated with chilong clambering
entangled amongst dense scrolling clouds, all amongst scrolling stems of lingzhi , such as one
encircled by a continuous band depicting four in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, illustrated
carp leaping in waves, the tumultuous waters in Porcelain of the National Palace Museum. Blue-
cresting with foams, splashing on pierced rocky and-White Ware of the Ch’ing Dynasty II, Hong
mountains issuing lingzhi shrubs below bats Kong, 1968, pl. 10. On the present piece, the
in flight, the top of the flat rim bordered by a chilong have been placed on the exterior of the
stylised ruyi band with trefoil florets, similarly basin, the plain white ground of which provides a
decorated to the exterior with four archaistic kui striking contrast with the complex interior.
dragons between line borders, the base with an
unglazed ring fired to orange No other closely related example appears to
40.4 cm, 15⅞ in. have been published, although the form is
known decorated in various designs; see one of
PROVENANCE this size painted with a Ming-style design of a
Collection of John St Clair Elkington, Hampshire, central phoenix surrounded by stylised foliate
England, purchased from Hay Hill in Mayfair, dragons and a lotus scroll rim, sold at Christie’s
London during World War II, by repute. Amsterdam, 6th October 1983, lot 61; and a
Thence by descent. smaller version with three foliate dragons, the
rim encircled with a lingzhi meander, sold in our
HK$ 800,000-1,000,000 London rooms, 9th December 1975, lot 203. A
US$ 103,000-128,000 Kangxi mark and period basin of this form and
size, decorated with a phoenix surrounded by
清乾隆 青花雲龍戲珠紋折沿盆 dense cloud scrolls, with further phoenix around
the well, the rim with leafy lotus blooms, was sold
來源： in our London rooms, 21st June 1977, lot 7, twice
英國著名精神病研究家埃金頓醫生（John St in these rooms, 29th November 1978, lot 222,
Clair Elkington）收藏，英國漢普郡，傳二戰 and 18th May 1982, lot 251, and a fourth time at
時期得自倫敦麥菲爾區 Hay Hill Christie’s New York, 17th September 2008, lot
自此家族承傳 455.

NO LOT 3682

330 SOTHEBY’S 蘇富比