Page 79 - Sotheby's Arcadian beauty Song Pottery Oct. 3, 2018

Lacquerware made between the late Tang and
the exhibition Dragon and Phoenix, The Museum
the early Song dynasties is characterised by of East Asian Art, Cologne, 1990, cat. no. 15,
simple, well-proportioned flower shapes with was sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 3rd December
more or less deep indentations. These quiet, 2008, lot 2109. See also a similar lacquer dish
pleasing forms that were used for dishes, discovered amongst a group of lacquerware
bowls and cup stands set a stylistic trend attributed to the Tang dynasty, excavated at
that reverberated throughout the period and Jianli county, Hubei Province, published in
strongly influenced ceramic designs. The present Wenwu/Chinese Cultural Relics, 1982, no. 2,
delicately lobed shape, resembling a prunus p. 93, pl. 8, fig. 4. Compare also a persimmon-
blossom and often modelled with five to seven glazed Dingyao dish of smaller size (12.6 cm) and
petals, is one of the most classic Song forms with subtler indentations, in the Palace Museum,
amongst lacquerware as well as ceramics. Beijing, illustrated in Selection of Ding Ware. The
Palace Museum’s Collection and Archaeological
See two closely related examples from the
Excavation, Beijing, 2012, pl. 89, together with
collection of Sakamoto Gorō, sold in these
another covered in a transparent ivory glaze, pl.
rooms, 8th October 2013, lots 141 and 144. A
73.
red lacquer dish of this type, but of larger size,
from the Lee Family collection and included in
ARCADIAN BEAUTY 77