A DOUCAI CONICAL 'DRAGON' BOWL

Yongzheng six-character mark and of the period

Footnotes

清雍正 鬥彩海水龍紋斗笠碗
青花「大清雍正年製」楷書款

Provenance: Sotheby's London, 16 May 1967, lot 152, acquired through Bluett & Sons Ltd. London, 22 May 1967 (invoice)
John E. Bodie OBE (1930-2023), London, collection no.9

來源：倫敦蘇富比，1967年5月16日，拍品編號152，通過倫敦古董商Bluett & Sons Ltd.獲得，1967年5月22日（據收據）
大英帝國官佐勳章獲勳人John E. Bodie(1930-2023)，倫敦，藏品編號9

The present lot exemplifies the pinnacle of craftsmanship from the Imperial kilns during the Yongzheng reign. The predominant decorative technique utilised in the bowl is doucai which is notable for painting the outlines of the design in underglaze blue. Additionally, this piece showcases some other techniques, such as the small swirling clouds executed with over-glaze wucai technique and the flaming pearls depicted in iron-red. Bowls of this type were initially accompanied by mirror-image covers of subtly distinct pattern, but the design of the bowl itself stands as a testament to its inherent power.

Interestingly, each of the fifth claws of the dragon has been painted over with a cloud, probably when gifted to a lower rank prince or high ranking official.

See a similar doucai conical 'dragon' bowl and cover, Yongzheng mark and period, illustrated in The Complete Collection of the Treasures of the Palace Museum: Porcelains in Polychrome and Contrasting Colours, Beijing, 2007, p.251, pl.230. Compare with a similar doucai conical 'dragon' bowl, Yongzheng mark and period, which was sold by Christie's Hong Kong, 28 November 2012, lot 2139.