Lot 159 A Chinese blue and white 'Deer' dish

A Chinese blue and white 'Deer' dish

Ming

未知

€ 4.000 – € 8.000

O: H. 6 cm, Diam. 29 cm

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The dish is potted with a flared rim and shallow rounded sides supported on a foot rim. The centre is painted in underglaze cobalt blue with a herd of deer moving together through a mountainous landscape and gathering beside a stream, in which a tortoise is shown swimming. A waterfall descends at one end of the stream, surrounded by pine trees, scrolling clouds, distant mountains, flowering plants and insects. The principal scene is framed by a narrow diaper band and a border of ruyi-heads. The exterior is left undecorated, while the foot rim is encircled by a scrolling border. The base bears the four-character Fu Gui Jia Qi (富貴佳器) mark.
The word for deer, lu (鹿), is a homophone of lu (祿), meaning official emolument or prosperity. A herd of deer, traditionally described as the 'Hundred Deer' motif, therefore evokes Bai Lu (百祿), or abundant prosperity and blessings. The pine and tortoise further symbolise longevity. The animated deer and densely arranged yet carefully ordered landscape, framed by formal ruyi-heads, create an auspicious composition expressing wishes for prosperity, advancement and long life.
盤敞口，淺弧壁，下承圈足。盤心以青花繪群鹿結伴行於山野，聚集於溪水之畔，水中游弋一龜，溪流一端瀑布飛瀉，四周伴以蒼松、捲雲、遠山、花草及飛蟲。主景外環飾錦地紋及如意雲頭紋。外壁素白，圈足外緣飾卷草紋。底部青花方框內書「富貴佳器」四字款。
「鹿」與「祿」同音，群鹿題材又稱「百鹿圖」，寓意「百祿」，象徵福祿豐厚、仕途順遂；蒼松與靈龜則寓意長壽。此盤群鹿姿態生動，場景繁密而井然有序，配以如意雲頭紋邊飾，構成福祿壽全的吉祥圖景。
Provenance:
Luis Alegria, Porto, with their label to the base.
The Mr. and Mrs. Baert-Devos Collection, Belgium. Acquired from the above during TEFAF Maastricht, 2018. (see added scan)
Exhibited:
Luis Alegria, TEFAF Maastricht 2018.