Page 120 - Bonhams, Fine Chinese Art, London November 3, 2022

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A RARE WUCAI ‘CHRYSANTHEMUM AND ROCK’ BOWL The present bowl is notable for the ingenious use of the colourful wucai
Wanli six-character mark and of the period palette and the geometric blue key-fret band around the mouth rim,
Finely potted with rounded deep sides rising from a short straight foot, which complements the naturalistic floral decoration below. In addition,
the exterior decorated with gnarled underglaze-blue rocks issuing the four areas of blue ornamental rocks, arranged at the cardinal points
enamelled floral sprays including chrysanthemums and camellias, around the lower part of the bowl, provide a framework around which
interspersed with butterflies, all beneath a key-fret border, the interior the vibrant red and yellow chrysanthemums can grow.
with a cobalt-blue dragon and phoenix.
17.7cm (7in) diam. Chrysanthemums represent Autumn and along with lotus, orchid
and bamboo, are regarded as the ‘Four Gentlemen of flowers’.
£40,000 - 60,000 Chrysanthemums are mentioned in early classical literature, such as
CNY310,000 - 470,000 ‘The Book of Odes’, and are symbols of longevity and wealth. The
word for chrysanthemum, ju is homophone with the word jiu meaning
‘long enduring’. Chrysanthemums were also the favourite flowers of
明萬曆 五彩菊石紋盌 Tao Qian, or Tao Yuanming (365-427), a poet living during a turbulent
青花「大明萬曆年製」楷書款 period in China who retired in midlife to a small estate to live out his
days in rustic obscurity, drinking wine and writing poetry. Private
and quiet as his life was, his reputation grew steadily after his death,
particularly for his associations with chrysanthemums, which he grew
in a small patch by the eastern fence of his retirement estate; see
S.Nelson, ‘Revisiting the Eastern Fence: Tao Qian’s Chrysanthemums’,
The Art Bulletin, 2001, vol.83, no.3, pp.437-460.

Compare with a very similar bowl in the Sir Percival David collection,
the British Museum, London, illustrated by M.Medley, Illustrated
Catalogue of Ming Polychrome Wares in the Percival David Foundation
of Chinese Art, London, 1978, p.32, no.85.

The Sir Percival David Collection;
© the Trustees of the British Museum

For details of the charges payable in addition to the final Hammer Price of each Lot
118 | BONHAMS please refer to paragraphs 7 & 8 of the Notice to Bidders at the back of the catalogue.