Page 74 - Tianminlou Hong Kong Sotheby's April 3 2019

DRAGONS WATERBORNE AND AIRBORNE

Regina Krahl

At first glance this exquisitely painted dish appears very official, and introduces an
with its design of five imperial dragons would unexpected amiable note, as it evokes the
seem like an absolute classic of the Ming imperial creatures disporting themselves in
imperial kilns; yet it is not only extremely rare, the congenial environment of flower-filled
it is also most unusual in its choice of flowers gardens – a most appropriate habitat, it would
accompanying the dragons. Five-clawed seem, for animals revered as guardians of the
dragons are typically shown to be waterborne, water supply.
surrounded by flowering lotus, floating in the This design appears to be unique to the
imaginary waters of a pond, like in the centre Xuande period, while the more conventional,
of this dish. It is most surprising, however, to corresponding pattern, with all five dragons
see the other four dragons, depicted around depicted among lotus, continued from the
the sides of this dish, to be shown without Yongle (1403-1424) over the Xuande (1426-
wings, yet airborne, hovering among flowering 1435) and Chenghua (1465-1487) reign to
peonies. Peonies with their lush fluffy blooms the Zhengde (1506-1521) period and beyond,
were among the most highly admired flowers becoming particularly popular in the latter
in Ming China, probably also at court, because reign not only for dishes but also for many
they are ubiquitous in the decoration of other vessel forms.
porcelain, lacquer, textiles and other media
of the period. This combination of imperial Two ‘five dragon’ dishes of the present design,
dragons with flowering peonies, however, is with lotuses and peonies and of Xuande mark
very seldom seen. This takes much of the and period, are recorded in the complete list
formality away from a design that otherwise of porcelains in the National Palace Museum,