Page 50 - Jie Rui Tang Kangxi porcelain mar 2018
P. 50
320 A BLUE AND WHITE ⌲Ꮴ⛆ 䱿㟞Ⅱ␥ϧ➖ృⰑ
‘WATER MARGIN’ Ȩ๔ᬻଶ䲃Ꭱ㸪ȩЬ
DISH
Qing Dynasty, Kangxi Period ҳ⎽
Marchant⧍侚2001䎃
the rounded sides rising from a tapered
foot, the interior boldly painted with three
characters from The Water Margin (Shuihu
zhuan) arranged in a triad formation against
a white ground, Wu Song at center standing
with arms folded # anked by Ruan Xiaoqi to the The characters depicted are from the 14th Kangxi period dishes that feature a trio of
left brandishing a two-pronged spear and Mu century novel The Water Margin (Shuihu characters drawn from popular literary and
Hong in full military attire armed with a long zhuan) variously attributed to Shi Nai’an (ca. historical narratives. The background of
spear and a sword, a thin band encircling the 1296-1372) and Luo Guanzhong (ca. 1330- the dish is normally unadorned, however in
interior rim, two sprigs of bamboo wrapping 1400). It tells the story of the bandit leader rare cases spare landscape elements are
the exterior, the base with an apocryphal six- Song Jiang, a historical personality at the incorporated into the composition, as seen in
character Jiajing reign mark within a double end of the Northern Song dynasty, and his the proceeding lot. The " gures on the present
circle, coll. no. 306 " ctitious 108 companions, who have all turned dish are identi" ed by the inscribed tallies
to banditry because of oppression by corrupt hanging from their belts. While the image does
Diameter 10¾ in., 27.3 cm
o! cials. The bandits are portrayed as noble not appear to illustrate a particular episode
PROVENANCE and upright men " ghting for justice. from The Water Margin, it does demonstrate
the artisan’s skill in portraying " gures
Marchant, London, 2001. This dish and those comprising the following
from multiple perspectives and a range of
lot in this sale represent a category of
$ 10,000-15,000 costumes.
48 SOTHEBY’S
