Page 140 - Bonhams Indian and Himalayan Art September 2013

Bencharong
The Gould collection of thepannom wares, a subset of Thai bencharong
(five-color) ceramics, not only represents some of the earliest and
largest bencharong ceramics to appear at international auction in recent
decades, but also chart significant stylistic developments occurring in the of these developments see, Robinson, Sino-Thai ceramics in the National
18th century.
Produced in China by commission of the Thai royalty and fired at private
kilns in Jingdezhen, they were typically enameled in Canton using Thai
pattern books borrowing designs from Ayutthaya wall murals. Changes in
color palette correspond to developments in Chinese enamel production,
with earlier wares, such as lot 211, having a greenish-black background,
red flames, and cream and yellow figures consistent with wucai (famille
verte) colors maturing in the early Qing. By the Yongzheng emperor’s
reign (1722–35) these colors were replaced by thefencai (famille rose)
palette, adding pink, light green, black, white, and blue enamels. Lot 212
is a very rare example from this transition period, combining the yellow,
creamy figures of old with rare rose-pink flames, a blue-black background,
and turquoise bands. Finally lots 213 and 214 are emblematic of
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thepannom wares produced under the Qianlong reign (1736-95) through
to the early 19th century, exhibiting thinner enamels, white figures, black
backgrounds, and ubiquitous purple-pink flames. For a detailed discussion
Museum, Bangkok, Thailand, and in private collections, Bangkok, 1982,
pp. 25-39 & 83-6.
Eponymously titled after the ubiquitous presence of reverential celestial
deities, the Buddhist emblems on thepannom wares convey royal status,
protection, and good luck. The norasingh motif appearing throughout
Dr Gould’s collection was an important royal emblem believed to derive
from the half-man-half-lion avatar of Vishnu. With the hindquarters
of a lion embellished with a flame, a flame tipped tail, and hoofs of a
deer, the norasingh featured prominently as wheeled effigies in royal
tonsure and cremation rites of the Ayutthaya period. These effigies
were no longer used in the Bangkok period (1782-present) and were
subsequently phased out of thepannom ware by the end of Rama I’s
reign in 1809 (see ibid., p. 73).
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