Page 201 - A Re-examination of Late Qing Dynasty Porcelain, 1850-1920 THESIS

David’s objects have recorded places of manufacture, patronage, or connection to the

imperial family. For example, Sir Percival purchased approximately 50 ceramics directly

from the Yuin Yeh Bank in 1927 that went on to be major components of his Chinese

porcelain collection. 262 As established earlier, this bank acquired major assets directly

from the imperial holdings of Empress Dowager Cixi. 263 In this regard, it is clear that Sir

Percival David had direct contact with objects that were not only part of the imperial

collection but had been particularly selected by Cixi. As a result, portions of Sir Percival

David’s collection had a clear provenance back to Cixi, identifying them as

representative of her personal aesthetic, which proved to be the major inspiration for the

imperial styles of the late Qing era.

Within the Sir Percival David collection, the object with the strongest connection

to Cixi’s porcelain is a small dayazhai marked bowl (Figure 76). The exterior of the

vessel is detailed with a yellow enamel ground that is unevenly applied, appearing lighter

on one side and slightly deeper toned on the other side of the body. The mouthrim and

footrim have remnants of ornate gilding that has worn over time. Overglaze grisaille

enamel forms a bird and flower motif, featuring a small magpie along with interwoven

wisteria and peonies. The design exhibited appears reminiscent of earlier porcelain

associated with Cixi’s patronage (Figures 16, 68) unifying these examples to form a

distinct expression of the porcelain of Cixi’s era. The shared style found on all three

spring dayazhai bowls resulted in clear continuation of a bird and flower motif within

Cixi’s patronage. Utilizing nearly identical imagery, forms, enamel colors, and

262 Chiang, “Redefining an Imperial Collection: Problems of Modern Impositions and
Interpretations,” 17. This bank was also referred to previously in the chapter of the Empress
Dowager.
263 Hua-Tien, “An Interview with Lady David,” 56.
162