Page 82 - Reginald and Lena Palmer Collection EXHIBITION, Bonhams London Oct 25 to November 2 2021

Image courtesy of the Palace Museum, Beijing

The stylistic convention characterising this exquisite dish, depicting Treasures of the Palace Museum. Porcelains with Cloisonné Enamel
a flowering branch of blossoming peonies and magnolia over the Decoration and Famille Rose Decoration, vol.39, Hong Kong, 1999,
rim, was referred to as guozhihua, which may be literally translated pp.78-9, no.68.
as ‘flowering branch passing over (the rim)’. The style was first
developed towards the end of the Ming dynasty, specifically The elegant and harmonious decoration depicted on the present dish
during the second quarter of the seventeenth century. However, it is replete with auspicious symbolism. Tree peonies, known in China
reached its artistic zenith in the Yongzheng period. The technique as mudan (牡丹), are often known in Chinese as fugui hua (富貴
was especially favoured at Court, as shown by surviving Imperial 花), which may be translated as ‘flowers of wealth and honour’. The
examples such as an almost identical famille rose dish, Yongzheng prominence accorded to peonies on the present dish reflects their
mark and of the period, in the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities, position as the ‘King of Flowers’, beloved of Chinese artists and poets,
Stockholm, illustrated by R.L.Hobson, The Later Ceramic Wares of and traditionally associated with the Imperial family who as early as the
China, London, 1924, p.73, pl.LVII. Tang dynasty, grew peonies in the Palace gardens. The herbaceous
peony (shaoyao 芍藥) is mentioned in the ‘Book of Odes’ (Shijing 詩
The style of depicting the flowers on the present dish was likely 經), compiled during the 9th century BC, where it is treated as a token
influenced by the work of artists such as Yun Shouping (1633-1690), of love and exchanged as a farewell gift. While the tree peony was
an early Qing artist who is regarded as one of the ‘Six Masters’ of the considered the ‘King of Flowers’, the herbaceous peony is regarded
Qing dynasty. Yun was inspired by the masters of antiquity and his as the ‘Prime Minister’. The white magnolia (yulan 玉蘭), is symbolic
style combined his ability to capture the essence of each flower with of purity and its name is often used as a pun on jade such as yutang
a willingness to use the natural, vibrant, colours sometimes eschewed which translates as ‘A rich and noble house’. Combined with peonies,
by other artists. magnolias form the rebus ‘May your noble house be blessed with
wealth and honour’ (yutang fugui).
The combination of flowers and butterflies to decorate Chinese
porcelain can be seen from as early as the early Ming dynasty’s Yongle The fluttering butterflies depicted on this dish emphasises the fragile,
reign, when it was used on blue and white wares, such as the pear- shimmering, beauty of their wings. Designs of butterflies suggest
shaped vase in the Sir Percival David collection, in the British Museum, duplication of an auspicious wish, since the character for butterfly
London, illustrated by R.Scott, Elegant Form and Harmonious (die 蝶) is a homophone for ‘repeat’ (die 疊). It also a homophone
Decoration: Four Dynasties of Jingdezhen Porcelain, London, 1992, with die (耋) meaning ‘Over seventy or eighty years of age’, and thus
p.38, no.25. The design was also used to decorate polychrome expresses a wish for longevity. Butterflies also symbolise happiness in
doucai wares during the Chenghua reign; see ibid. p.64, no.61. The marriage and everlasting romantic love. The latter interpretation is due
combination of butterflies and flower sprays painted in overglaze to a number of traditional Chinese stories in which butterflies play a
enamels on porcelain, however, became particularly popular at the significant part. Feng Menglong (1574-1646), for example, narrates the
Imperial Court during the Yongzheng reign, following the development popular story of the ‘butterfly lovers’ Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai,
of the famille rose palette of enamel colours; see a famille rose bowl, who are transformed into butterflies after death. The philosopher
Yongzheng mark and of the period, decorated with roundels enclosing Zhuangzi’s famous dream of being a butterfly also made them symbols
butterflies and flowers, illustrated in The Complete Collection of of the boundary between dream and reality.

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