Page 26 - Collection of Maureen Pilkington Hong Kong April 2017

HONGZHI EXQUISITE BLUE-AND-YELLOW

REGINA KRAHL

This dish, although an example of a well-known design, must The blue-and-yellow colour scheme was developed in the
be one of the finest specimens of this pattern and date to have Xuande period (1426-35), when the first dishes of this design
been preserved. The wonderfully soft blue painting of the fruit were produced and was taken up again in the Chenghua
and flower design and the superb preservation of the yellow period (1465-87). In both periods, the base of the dishes was
glaze, which is known to rub easily with use, make this dish an generally still unglazed and the mark inscribed in a horizontal
outstanding representative of Ming imperial porcelain. cartouche below the rim. In the Hongzhi and Zhengde reigns
the design experienced its peak, and after the Jiajing reign
The dish belonged to the collection of Sir Percival David and (1522-66), when rare examples were still produced, was
later the Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art, but was totally abandoned. Examples of the first four reigns are
sold at auction since the Foundation had four more dishes illustrated in Soame Jenyns, Ming Pottery and Porcelain, rev.
of this design, in blue-and-yellow and brown-and-white, with ed., London, 1988, pls 102-104 and col. pl. H, from the British
Hongzhi (1488-1505) and Zhengde (1506-21) reign marks, Museum, Riesco collection and Sir Percival David Collection.
none, however, of comparable quality. The extraordinarily The Riesco dish, being a companion piece of Hongzhi mark
high price paid for the dish at Sotheby’s auction at the time and period, formerly in the collection of Edward Howard
is testimony that its quality was already fully recognised and Paget, was sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 27th November
appreciated half a century ago. 2013, lot 3114.

The gardenia (zhizi) is a flower very rarely depicted on Blue-and-yellow Hongzhi, Zhengde and Jiajing examples,
Chinese ceramics and known almost exclusively from the as well as a blue-and-white Hongzhi dish of this design
present design. It is not immediately associated with any are illustrated in Regina Krahl, Chinese Ceramics from the
auspicious meaning, but the highly fragrant flowers were Meiyintang Collection, London, 1994-2010, vol. 4, no. 1674,
popular with ladies to wear in the hair, and were used for and vol. 2, nos 683, 684, and 682, the companion dish to the
flavouring tea and for preparing cosmetics, and the small present piece, from the collection of Dr and Mrs Sherman E.
fruits of the plant were coveted for dyeing – producing a Lee and the Reach Family collection, sold in these rooms, 7th
fine yellow or orange colour – as well as for their medicinal April 2011, lot 57.
benefits.

24 SOTHEBY’S 蘇富比