Page 129 - Christies IMportant Chinese Art Sept 26 2020 NYC

1590
The very rare scene on this dish appears to be unique, and depicts a figure dressed in an open robe, with similar facial features and hair to
group of figures, possibly foreigners, with curly hair. Ten figures holding those on the present dish, illustrated in F. and N. Hervouët, Y. Bruneau,
scrolls or books gather in the large tree as two demons fly toward them, La Porcelaine des Compagnies des Indes, à Décor Occidental, Paris, 1986,
taking aim with bows and arrows. A blue-robed figure stands at the base no. 4.78.
of the tree looking at his companions above, with a further long-robed
figure standing next to him and two attendants. On the other side of the Another possibility is that the scene could depict a gathering of some
tree, an attendant empties the contents of a bucket as another assists of the “500 Luohans.” The term luohan is the Chinese transliteration of
with a hoe-like tool. A third standing robed figure with a beaded necklace the Sanskrit word, arhat, which was originally a term referring to those
is shaded with an umbrella by an attendant. who had achieved a high degree of enlightenment. As Tibetan Buddhism
was adopted by the Qing Imperial court to be the primary religion,
While European armorials and decorative devices can be found on representations of luohans became popular in Chinese decorative arts
Chinese porcelains in the Ming dynasty, depictions of Europeans and in the 18th century. These figures are often depicted with curly hair
foreigners rarely appear on Chinese porcelains before the Kangxi period and eyebrows, like the figures on the present dish. No exact source has
(1662-1722). Some scenes were commissioned by European trading yet to be identified, but an interesting 12th-century painting by Zhou
companies and private traders, while others, such as this scene, may Jichang in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, entitled Luohan watching
have been taken from a foreign print or book source brought to China at the distribution of the relics, shows four luohan gazing up at three winged
the time. Figures of Europeans are more commonly found; the figures demons, suggesting that another visual source with luohans and demons
on the present dish, with receding hairlines and curly hair, appear to be could have been the inspiration for the rare scene on this dish (see
more likely depict figures of near-eastern or middle-eastern descent. https://collections.mfa.org/download/24139;jsessionid=B508032B4A
Similar representations appear on Chinese porcelains made later in the 00ED195ACACF5CFDFB56B3 for the painting in the Museum of Fine
eighteenth century, such as a grisaille teapot and cover with a seated Arts, Boston).