Page 43 - March 17, 2020 Impotant Chinese Art, Sotheby's, New York

The present dish is impressive for its large size and carefully
composed design, and no other example of this type appears
to have been published. For the prototype of this dish, see a
slightly larger example with a similar composition on a yellow
ground, with a Yongzheng reign mark and of the period, sold
in these rooms, 20th November 1985, lot 156.
The bajixiang (‘Eight Buddhist Emblems’) originated in
India and came into China with the introduction of Tibetan
Buddhism in the Yuan dynasty (1279-1368), and were
immediately incorporated into the decorative arts. During
the early 17th century, these Buddhist symbols became
integrated with Daoist symbols and came to convey
longevity. The combination of the bajixiang resting on lotus
flowers and the interlocking scrolls derives from the blue and
white palace bowls and stemcups of the Chenghua period
(r. 1465-1487); for example, see a stemcup included in the
exhibition A Legacy of Chenghua. Imperial Porcelain of the
Chenghua Reign Excavated from Zhushan, Jingdezhen, Tsui
Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1993, cat. no. C52.

82 SOTHEBY’S COMPLETE CATALOGUING AVAILABLE AT SOTHEBYS.COM/N10644 83