Page 122 - Bonhams Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, Nov 2014 Hong Kong

Another owner 另一位藏家

177 Fish are auspicious symbols of wealth, abundance and perseverance.
A blue and white ‘carp’ flowerpot The motif of fishes within ponds on Wanli period ceramics, appear to
Jiajing/Wanli emulate the style of bold fish decoration on Jiajing prototypes of large
Sturdily potted with deep sides rising from a circular foot to a flaring wucai fish bowls and jars. Compare with two Jiajing period wucai jars,
rim, the exterior boldy painted with a continuous scene of carp illustrated in J.Harrison-Hall, Ming Ceramics in the British Museum,
swimming in in a lotus pond amidst aquatic plants, their lively and London, 2001, p.266, nos.9:117 and 9:118. There is a continued
twisted bodies characterised by scales, lateral and dorsal fins, happily skillful use of the surface and spacing of design, where the fish are
plunging and rising amongst dense weeds, lotus leaves and blossoms, large and prominent surrounded by aquatic plants and lotus blooms.
further scattered with loose foliage, all beneath band of vine scrolls at
the barbed rim. The present lot belongs to a group of ceramics that depict the
21cm (8 1/4in) wide combination of four fish including black carp, red fin culter, silver carp,
and Chinese perch. The names of the fish in Chinese combine to form
HK$200,000 - 300,000 the rebus qingbai lianjie, ‘of honourable descent and incorruptible’.
US$26,000 - 39,000

明嘉靖/萬曆 青花魚藻紋花盆 Compare also with a large blue and white fish jar, Wanli, with similar
decoration sold at Christie’s London, 19 June 2001, lot 42, and a large
blue and white fishbowl sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 1 June 2011, lot
3590.

120 | Bonhams