Page 112 - Bonhams UK Marsh Collection Art for the Literati November 2, 2022

40 *
A RARE BLUE AND WHITE 'DRAGON AMIDST CLOUDS' The dragon was the most important of the mythical animals.
BEAKER VASE Essentially a gentle creature, despite its often fierce appearance, the
Shunzhi dragon represents the male principle of nature (yang). It was the god of
The cylindrical vessel with waisted central section tapering to a flaring rain and also, in certain manifestations, the emperor's special symbol
rim from a spreading foot, painted in vibrant tones of cobalt-blue with - he sat on the dragon throne and was borne aloft by dragons when
a large four-clawed scaly dragon writhing amidst blue washes of misty he died. Many different dragons are portrayed in Chinese art, often
cloud chasing the flaming pearl of wisdom. chasing a pearl and almost always surrounded by flames. The present
43.6cm (17in) high. lot is more unusual in showing a dragon in the clouds, and shows a
sophisticated, playful hand at work, with blurred and painterly edges of
£18,000 - 24,000 the clouds reminiscent of wet ink on paper. The cottony cloud forms,
CNY150,000 - 190,000 the almost whimsical expression on the dragon's face, and the vivid
plasticity of the beast's form, show the influence of the Southern Song
清順治 青花雲龍紋觚 dragon painter Chen Rong (陳容 ca.1200–1266). See a painting of
nine dragons by Chen Rong, illustrated in Masterpieces of Chinese
Provenance: Painting, 700-1900, London, 2013, pp.198-199, no.38.
A & J Speelman Oriental Art, London, 3 November 2009
Similarly treatment of clouds around dragons is seen also on a blue
來源： and white vase, decorated with animals of the four directions, circa
倫敦古董商 A & J Speelman Oriental Art，2009年11月3日 1640-1655, illustrated by M.Butler, J.B.Curtis and S.Little in Shunzhi
Porcelain: Treasures from an Unknown Reign, 1644-1661, Alexandria,
VA, 2002, p.99, no.7.
Compare with a related blue and white beaker vase, Shunzhi, also
decorated with a dragon amidst clouds, in the Palace Museum,
Beijing, illustrated in Qing Shunzhi Kangxi chao qinghuaci, Beijing,
2005, pp.98-99, no.52. A related blue and white beaker vase, dated to
1670, with the upper register similarly decorated with a dragon amidst
clouds, is illustrated in Kangxi Porcelain Wares from the Shanghai
Museum Collection, Hong Kong, 1998, p.98, no.64.

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