Page 140 - Fine Chinese Works of Art Bonhams Hong Kong May 2018

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A RARE PAIR OF FAMILLE ROSE BLUE-SGRAFFIATO-GROUND The pair of bowls is particularly rare for bearing the Wenfu Yawan mark
‘MEDALLION’ BOWLS rather than the more typical Daoguang reign seal mark.
Daoguang, Wenfu Yawan marks
Each brilliantly enamelled in pink, coral-red, yellow, green and blue The primary flower decorating these bowls is chrysanthemum,
with four circular medallions enclosing leafy sprays of blossoming representing Autumn and symbolising longevity.
chrysanthemum, two further accompanied by smaller florets of
asters, all within a gilt border and reserved on a blue sgraffiato ground ‘Medallion’ bowls appear to have been first made during the Qianlong
delicately incised with feathery tendrils, interspersed with stylised lotus reign, reaching the height of popularity during the Daoguang period.
strapwork, the base with the Wenfu Yawan mark ‘Elegant plaything for The present pair of bowls demonstrates a mastery of the detailed
a man of literature’. and complex sgraffiato technique with the bright and softly coloured
Each 9.8cm (3 7/8in) diam. enamels, providing a visually appealing refined contrast.

HK$300,000 - 400,000 Extant related examples bearing the Daoguang reign mark and period,
US$38,000 - 51,000 can be found in important museum collections; see The Complete
Collection of the Treasures of the Palace Museum. Porcelains with
Cloisonne Enamel Decoration and Famille Rose Decoration, Hong
清道光 藍地軋道粉彩開光菊紋小碗一對 Kong, 2009, nos.214-216; and see also a Jiaqing seal mark and
礬紅「文甫雅玩」楷書款 period example of the same design in the Palace Museum, Beijing,
illustrated ibid., no.183. Two further examples of blue-ground famille
Provenance: rose bowls, Daoguang seal marks and period, of similar design but of
An English private collection larger size (14.8cm and 14.7cm diam.) were included in the Min Chiu
Society exhibition Splendour of the Qing Dynasty, Hong Kong, 1992,
來源： pp.325 and 326, pls.192 and 193.
英國私人收藏
Compare another bowl, Daoguang seal mark and period, of similar
design, which was sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 9 October 2012, lot
3067. See also a pair of famille rose ‘butterfly’ bowls, bearing the same
mark, which was sold at Christie’s London, 13 May 2008, lot 62.

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