Page 64 - Reginald and Lena Palmer Collection EXHIBITION, Bonhams London Oct 25 to November 2 2021

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A FAMILLE ROSE RUBY-BACK SAUCER DISH
Yongzheng
20.5cm (8 1/8in) diam.
清雍正 外寶石紅釉內粉彩何仙姑圖盤

Provenance:
Bertram Currie (1899-1959), Farnborough
Spink & Son Ltd., London
R.H.R Palmer (1898-1970), acquired from the above in July 1936,
Collection no.417

Published, Illustrated and Exhibited:
The Royal Academy of Arts, The International Exhibition of Chinese
Art 1935-36, London, 1935, no.2208
The Oriental Ceramic Society, Exhibition of Enamelled Polychrome
Porcelain of the Manchu Dynasty 1644-1912, London, 1951, no.180
S.Jenyns, Later Chinese Porcelain: The Ch’ing Dynasty, London,
1965, pl.XLVII

來源：
英國法恩伯勒，Bertram Currie（1899-1959）舊藏
倫敦古董商Spink & Son Ltd.
R.H.R Palmer（1898-1970）於1936年7月購自上者，典藏編號417

展覽著錄：
皇家藝術學院，《中國藝術國際展覽會》，倫敦，1935年，編號2208
倫敦東方陶瓷學會，《Exhibition of Enamelled Polychrome Porcelain
of the Manchu Dynasty 1644-1912》，倫敦，1951年，編號180
詹寧斯著，《Later Chinese Porcelain: The Ch’ing Dynasty》，
倫敦，1965年，圖版XLVII

The present dish was exhibited in one of the most historic and The figure depicted seated atop a deer is He Xiangu, the only female
prestigious exhibitions of Chinese art ever held. The exhibition’s figure from the legendary group of the Eight Immortals: semi-divine
importance is reflected by its patrons who not only included King figures believed to have achieved the highest honours of their faith
George V and Queen Mary, but also the President of the Chinese and empowered with the ability to bestow Immortality on whomever
Republic. The Committee of Honour included luminaries such as Hu was able to recognise them on earth. He Xiangu’s story first appears
Shi and Cai Yuanpei; and the Executive Committee counted among in the ‘Extensive records of the Taiping era’ (Taiping Guangji 太平廣記),
its members renowned collectors and scholars such as R.L.Hobson, a compendium of stories dating to the Northern Song dynasty (960-
George Eumorfopoulos and Sir Percival David. With 3077 exhibits, it 1127) where she is depicted as a woman converted by Lü Dongbin,
was not only the largest exhibition of Chinese art ever held in Europe, who made her an Immortal. One day she went to the mountain to
but many of the exhibits, including rare objects from the Palace pick tea, when she met Lü Dongbin who gave her a peach that made
Museum, Beijing, were being seen in Europe for the first time. her Immortal as well as the gift of prophecy; see E.Buck, The Eight
Immortals on Yuan and Ming Ceramics, London, 2000, pp.60-61.
The present dish belongs to a group of Yongzheng period dishes, all The deer is symbolic of the wish for long life, and is often depicted in
of similar size, exquisitely painted with Immortals. It may have been Chinese art alongside the God of Longevity, Shoulao.
conceived as part of a set comprising eight, one for each of the much-
celebrated group of the Eight Daoist Immortals. Compare with a related ruby-back dish, Yongzheng, decorated with
Liu Hai and his three-legged toad, in the Boymans-van Beuningen
Museum, Rotterdam, illustrated by C.J.A.Jörg, Oriental Porcelain,
1995, no.26.

62 | BONHAMS