Lot 156 A Chinese blue and white 'Fish and Butterflies' plate

A Chinese blue and white 'Fish and Butterflies' plate

Wanli

未知

€ 1.000 – € 2.000

OH: H. 3 cm, Diam. 21,6 cm

未知

The dish is potted with a foliate rim, shallow angled sides and a footring. In the centre, within a double circle, four fish - a mackerel, silver carp, carp and mandarin fish - swim among aquatic plants. Each depicted in a different pose and painted in various shades of underglaze cobalt blue.. The rim is encircled by butterflies in flight among flowering branches. The reverse is decorated with birds perched upon tree branches.
The Chinese names of the four fish—qing, lian, li and gui—form the rebus Qing Lian Li Gui (清廉禮貴), conveying wishes for integrity, propriety and noble status. The butterflies and flowers decorating the rim add further connotations of flourishing prosperity, creating a lively natural scene rich in auspicious meaning.
此盤花口，淺折沿，下承圈足。盤心青花雙圈內繪鯖魚、鰱魚、鯉魚及鱖魚四尾游魚，穿梭於水藻及水草之間，姿態各異。口沿環繪蝴蝶穿飛於花卉枝葉之間。外壁以青花繪禽鳥棲息於樹枝之上，底部施釉，圈足露胎。
四種魚名分別借音「清」、「廉」、「禮」、「貴」，組成「清廉禮貴」的吉祥寓意，寄託清正廉潔、崇禮顯貴之願。口沿所繪花卉與蝴蝶則為畫面增添繁盛祥瑞之意，與盤心游魚相互映襯，構成生機盎然、寓意豐富的自然圖景。
Provenance:
Rob Michiels Auctions, Bruges, 28 October 2010, lot 1168. (sold EUR 2.340,00) (link)
The Mr. and Mrs. Baert-Devos Collection, Belgium. Acquired from the above. (see added scan)