Lot 126 A Chinese blue and white square bowl

A Chinese blue and white square bowl

Jiajing mark and of the period

未知

€ 25.000 – € 50.000

WDH: H. 7,3 cm, W. 12,2 cm, D. 12,3 cm

未知

Of elegant square form with gently flared sides rising from a slightly inverted foot, the exterior is finely painted in underglaze cobalt blue with four lobed medallions, each enclosing a camellia blossom borne on a leafy branch. The medallions are reserved against a dense ground of scrolling lingzhi clouds and separated by various auspicious symbols. The decoration is confidently executed in pleasingly varied tones of cobalt blue.
The interior is centred with a large shou (longevity) character enclosed within a double-square border, beneath a broad band of eight lingzhi sprays borne on a continuous scrolling stem around the rim, complementing the auspicious theme of longevity.
此碗作四方形，器壁微撇，下承略向內收的方足。外壁以青花繪四組花瓣形開光，每組內繪一朵山茶花及折枝葉紋。開光外滿繪纏枝靈芝雲紋，各開光之間分別吉祥符號。畫筆純熟，青花濃淡相宜。
碗心青花雙方框內書一大型「壽」字，內壁近口沿處環飾寬幅纏枝靈芝紋，共繪八組靈芝，與碗心壽字相互呼應。
Reference:
For an identical bowl, see Peter Y. K. Lam and Li Sukyee, 'Enlightening Elegance, Imperial Porcelain of the Mid to Late Ming, The Huaihaitang Collection', pp. 260-261, no. 71.
Provenance:
Christie's, 15 February 1981, 'Christie's at the Hotel Okura, Tokyo', lot 347. (see added scan)
A Japanese private collection.
Marchant, London, with their label to the base.
The Mr. and Mrs. Baert-Devos Collection, Belgium. Acquired from the above in 2014.
Exhibited and published:
Marchant, London, included in their May 2014 exhibition of 'Chinese Ceramics Tang to Qing', and published in the accompanying catalogue, pp. 30-31, no. 15.