Page 79 - 2019 October Important Chinese Art Sotheby's Hong Kong

AN EARLY MING IMPERIAL FRUIT BOWL

Vigorous yet elegant, solid yet refined, this bowl exemplifies The artist who painted the present bowl had probably used
the taste in blue-and-white porcelain of the Xuande period a fine brush to apply the colour directly onto the porcelain
(1426-1435). body, in overlapping, yet continuous strokes, thereby
preserving a dynamic and vibrant flow. This sophisticated
Short, barely ten years, the reign of the Xuande Emperor
(1426-1435) was stable and prosperous. He was an able, freestyle painting, xieyi (‘sketching thoughts’) as opposed
to gongbi (‘brush craftmanship’), is skilfully executed. He
wise ruler and successfully maintained peace within his created an admirably balanced composition, by painting the
realm. It was, however, for his scholarly pursuits that he is
particularly known. An accomplished poet and skilful painter, vessel’s area without leaving any space vacant nor crowded.
he has left a collection of poems, Ming Xuanzong Huangdi The overall impression is one of elegance and lightness,
despite the sturdy potting of the vessel itself.
yuzhiji [Collection of poems by Ming Emperor Xuanzong],
and paintings, some of which are preserved in the National Xuande porcelains typically assume a wide range of shapes
Palace Museum in Taipei. and decorative motifs. From plant and flower patterns to
classic dragon and various figure and landscape scenes.
Due to the Emperor’s enthusiastic interest in the arts,
imperial patronage of the porcelain kilns at Jingdezhen, in Among these many pictorial elements, the flower motifs
Jiangxi province, was particularly strong. Many technical were particularly popular and they came in a variety of
renderings, some naturalistic, others more stylised.
and artistic developments took place, raising the level of
blue-and-white porcelain to new heights. The quality of the The lotus on this bowl is probably intended to represent
porcelain attained near perfection on account of the famous the pink lotus, nelumbo nucifera, also known as Indian
Gaoling clay. While earlier designs were newly interpreted lotus. Connected with Buddhism and Buddha himself, it is
into blue-and-white, many new shapes and patterns were considered a sacred flower with mystical qualities. As a plant
created. Blue-and-white porcelain became an imperial growing in muddy ponds, but with its flower remaining clean
ware with for the first time, the reign mark of the emperor and with a recurrent cycle of opening in the morning and
standardised in kaishu (‘regular script’), as written in six- closing in the evening, the lotus is associated with purity and
characters Daming Xuande nianzhi (‘made in the Xuande rebirth. The different stages of bloom are synonymous with
period of the Great Ming dynasty’) on the present bowl. the various levels of spirituality attained. Fully opened lotus
blooms, as seen on this piece would be a symbol of pure
The vibrant, yet refined painting on the present bowl enlightenment.
was conceived thanks to the imported sumali cobalt. It
produced a rich blue, sometimes even inky paint, allowing While the lotus bloom is rendered in a nearly naturalistic
for the famous ‘heaped and piled’ effect, celebrated and manner, the undulating tendrils and pointed leaves do not
extensively imitated on later blue-and-white porcelain. bear any resemblance to those of the natural plant at all.
The cobalt may have been first brought to China during Scrolling flowers and leaves as an ornamental pattern,
the Yongle period (1403-1424), from the Middle East. The appear to have come from the West. The idea had travelled
name was possibly derived from the Arabic word sumawi from the Mediterranean countries to India, Central Asia and
meaning ‘sky-coloured’ or ‘azure’. Rich in iron oxide, it was China. First used in architectural stone ornaments, seen on
previously blended with local manganese cobalts, but in the plinths of temples and on religious sculpture, it was gradually
Xuande period probably used in a purer form or in a higher introduced on silverware for secular use and was finally
percentage in the mixture. It gave extraordinary depth to the exploited on porcelain, as a standard decorative pattern,
painting, with the different blooms and leaves emerging into see Jessica Rawson, Chinese Ornament. The Lotus and the
a range of blue tones. Dragon, London, 1990.

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