Page 138 - Bonhams Indian and Himalayan Art September 2013

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An enameled porcelain lotus bowl
Chinese export for Thailand, 18th century
The tapered body rising to an incurvated gold washed textured rim, decorated in fencai (famille
rose) palette, with four rings of overlapping green and pink gradiated petals, below yellow stamen;
the interior with monochrome pink and an underglaze Chinese character “jun” in the well.
4 1/8 in. (10.5 cm) high; 7 in. (17.8 cm) diameter
$2,000 - 3,000

Once the application of fencai enamels matured in China the use of this pink lotus petal design
became extremely popular in 18th century Chinese export ware. Earlier examples have bulbous
molded petals and a piece made for the imperial court is held in the National Palace Museum, Taipei
(no. 故琺000017N000000000, see also Illustrated Catalogue of Chinese Government Exhibits for
the International Exhibition of Chinese Art in London, Shanghai, 1936), while a cruder toh jar for
the Thai market is published in Robinson, Sino-Thai Ceramics, Bangkok, 1982, fig. 217, p. 299.

The lotus petal motif found favor in the European market as well. Compare the close likeness to
numerous examples attributed between 1750-70 CE held in the Winterthur Museum, Delaware
(1985.0102, 2000.0061.054 A,B&C) and published in Gordon, Collecting Chinese Export Porcelain,
New Jersey, 1984, pl. VII. Also compare to a lotus punch bowl sold at Sotheby’s, New York, 29
March 2011, lot 51.

Published:
Arts of Asia, May-June 2011, p. 12

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