Page 115 - Ming Porcelain Sothebys march 2018

ophisticated in its simplicity, this bowl conveys calm and beauty,
Ϥ䋘ዎӸdܫඩ९ᘆdၾ̾ط܎ʘઋߧΝୌ which seems entirely in accordance with the spirit of the Hongzhi
Υ۰fԒމɓ਷ʘёd̾ط܎ා݁׬ᅃd್̈ S Emperor’s personal taste (r. 1488-1505). As a ruler, Hongzhi was
ɝৎ֢d૱غ࿲ശdމɛ၈཰f̾ط܎1470 known to be virtuous and conscientious. In his personal life he was reported
ϋ͛d1475ϋ஗ͭމ˄ɿdІ̼ᑋᅆdၚወኊ to be unattached to luxury. Born in 1470 and made crown prince in 1475,
ኪi1488ϋdՉ˨ϓʷ܎੥dૅϾуЗdւˆ֗
he was a brilliant child, excelling in Confucian studies. When his father, the
ʘ༸މط਷ʘ͉f̾ط܎৏Бືᄉdᇦᓄᛆ܂d
Chenghua Emperor, died, Hongzhi ascended the throne in 1488 and modeled
ᚨ஼ιЛdطɨಃၤ૶ഠdيڙ͏τf
his government on Confucian principles. By curtailing expenses, eunuch power
̾طନוϓʷኜʘ፲ᗲdኜҖࡌߕdၚߣ୚ and court intrigue, he managed to bring about a new era of transparency,
ཊfϤ䋘᙮̾طಃՊᇍdණ଺ڗ׵ɓԒfΌኜ peace and prosperity.
Έ९ೌ७dһᜑ୭ڳग़ߧd㜺ʈၚರdˢԷ၌
዆dֹ໖෥ʴdᆦཊν௛dֵཊ৪ڡdܑ૱׋ Hongzhi porcelain continued the legacy of Chenghua ware with its beautiful
ɛf shapes, re! ned bodies and subtle glazes. The present bowl is an exemplary
product of its time, displaying all these hallmarks. The lack of decoration
Ϥᗳͣཊ䋘אމԶቮה͜f˜ͣ™ɓЍ׵ኊ࢕
moreover highlights the exceptional quality of the piece, its very ! ne potting,
ᄃՊจ່ڢɭf׼ڋdନႡᓿኜ՟˾ڡზdఊЍ
ཊኜکၾ֚ᄽʘԫࢹࢹ޴ᗫfᔝeߎeරe̬ͣ its perfectly proportioned shape with appeasing, deep rounded sides and its
Ѝʱй࿁Ꮠ˂e˚eήe˜̬እd̬እЗ׵̏ԯd lustrous creamy glaze, which shows an attractive bluish tint on the base, inside
˸༟˂ɿୄ٠i˜ͣ™ɗ˜እ൥ᅄfͣཊନ͵Ԉ the foot rim, due to reduction ! ring in the enclosed space where the bowl
ࢗʕd͜׵Զւެૄ΋ख़f touched the ! ring support.
̾طɓಃd౻ᅃᕄ੿㜺дߒື౶d˸Ꮠ˂ɿ֠ White bowls of this type may have been used for o# ering. Their color, white,
ᄉʘࠬd݂Ϥࣛಂନኜደிᅰඎʔʿ˼ಃf
played a special role in Confucian rituals. Ming monochromes were associated
ਞϽɓ޴ᗳ䋘Էdଫʃd݂ࢗ௹ي৫ᔛd̏ with sacri! cial rites since the beginning of the Ming dynasty when porcelain
ԯd፽݂ࢗ௹ي৫ᔛ˖يޜۜΌණ‘d࠰ replaced bronze as primary material for ritual vessels. Blue, red, yellow and
ಥd1999ϋdྡو104f̤ˢɓԷdɪऎ௹ي᎜ white were the four colors assigned to the four temples in Beijing where
ႅd̊௔׼ശdɪऎ௹ي᎜ᔛۜ޼Ӻɽӻj׼ the emperor conducted the o# erings to the gods. White would have been
˾֜㜺ନኜ‘dɪऎd2007ϋdྡو3 73f connected with the Altar of the Moon. White-glazed vessels were also present

in imperial ceremonies of ancestor worship within the Palace.

Relatively few Hongzhi pieces were made during the short reign period since
porcelain production at the imperial kilns at Jingdezhen in Jiangxi province was
deliberately kept low in light of Hongzhi’s economic policy.

A similar, slightly smaller, bowl in the Palace Museum, Beijing is illustrated
in Gugong Bowuyuan zang wenwu zhenpin quanji/The Complete Collection
of Treasures of the Palace Musuem, Hong Kong, 1999, pl. 104. Another bowl
in the Shanghai Museum is published in Lu Minghua, Shanghai Bowuguan
zangpin yanjiu daxi/Studies of the Shanghai Museum Collections: A Series of
Monographs. Mingdai guanyao ciqi [Ming imperial porcelain], Shanghai, 2007,
pl. 3-73.