Page 23 - Sothebys Imperial Porcelain Private Collection

The side-facing dragon has been replaced with a large and Yongzheng dishes with a related design are known, painted
exquisitely-detailed winged form (yinglong) that faces forward, with a large central dragon without wings among clouds and
the innate confidence and power of which is conveyed through surrounded by four smaller dragons; one in the National
his ferocious eyes. The muscular bodies of the sinuous Museum of China, Beijing, is illustrated in Zhongguo Guojia
dragons are accentuated through the ornate flower scrolls, Bowuguan guancang wenwu yanjiu congshu/Studies on
which have been perfectly spaced to provide a harmonious the Collections of the National Museum of China. Ciqi juan
sense of movement. The flowers also offset the ferocity of the [Porcelain section]: Qingdai [Qing dynasty], Shanghai, 2007,
dragons and illustrate their benevolence on earth; a deliberate pl. 38; and another, included in the exhibition Ming and
tool utilised to associate the qualities of the divine creature Ch’ing Porcelain from the Collection of the T.Y. Chao Family
with the Emperor. Foundation, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1978, cat.
no. 81, was sold in in these rooms, 18th November 1986, lot 80.
The band of wind-tossed crested waves around the rim is
an innovative addition to the original composition. It brings Dishes of the present type continued to be favoured by the
‘water’ into the overall composition which is quintessential to Qianlong Emperor who commissioned very similar vessels
the yinglong. The yinglong in Chinese mythology is associated to be produced. Compare a large dish with a Qianlong reign
with water and is said to have helped stop the Yellow River mark and of the period sold twice in our New York rooms, 23rd
from flooding by digging channels with its tail. It is also the October 1976, lot 325, and again, 22nd March 2000, lot 133;
carrier of rain in times of draught. The wave-band is also found and another sold in these rooms, 26th November 1980, lot
on Xuande dishes decorated with similar flower scrolls to the 311. Although Qianlong dishes closely follow the Yongzheng
present charger, but without dragons; see one illustrated in prototype, the flower scroll decoration is denser with the
John Alexander Pope, Chinese Porcelains from the Ardebil number of flower heads doubled while the leaves are also more
Shrine, Washington, 1956, pl. 34. fig. 29.88 (fig. 2). uniform and crowded. The presentation of the dragon also
changed, with the Qianlong dragon being more slender and
stylised compared to its Yongzheng counterpart.

IMPERIAL PORCELAIN FROM A DISTINGUISHED PRIVATE COLLECTION 21