A set of famille rose 'figural' plaques by Wang Dafan, Republic period, two: dated yihai year, corresponding to 1935; one: dated yiyou year, corresponding to 1945

Warren Imports, Laguna Beach, 27th September 1973.

Brought to life with soft colors, meticulous detailing, and grand yet serene compositions, these splendid plaques exemplify the commensurate skill of Wang Dafan (1888-1961), a founding member of the prominent group of Jingdezhen ceramic artists, the Zhushan Bayou [Eight Friends of Zhushan]. A native of Yixian, Anhui province, Wang went to Jingdezhen at the age of fifteen and studied under artist Wang Xiaotang (1885-1924), a master at painting figures of ladies in famille-rose enamels and vice-president of the Porcelain Painting Research Institute. Alongside the likes of Wang Qi and Xu Zhongnan, Wang Dafan continued to hone his craft among the ‘Eight Friends’. This group – also known as the Full Moon Society (Yueman hui) – was formed in 1928 by the leading porcelain artists of the generation who met once a month on the full moon to exchange ideas and shape the future of Chinese art as we know it today. 

Although Wang and his associates were strongly influenced by the ideals and techniques of the eighteenth century Yangzhou Baguai [Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou], they were equally driven by a desire to innovate. Utilizing fluid expressive brushstrokes with exquisite colors and fusing elements from both traditional Chinese and Western painting, Wang’s work captures characterful figures set among luscious classical landscapes. Possessing a remarkable sense of depth, a playful use of color and an unsurpassed attention to detail, this figural work soon became Wang Dafan’s specialty. Already a highly respected artist within China, his artistic mastery gained him further recognition internationally, when his piece Fugui Shoukao [Wealth, Honor and a Long Life] won a gold medal at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition held in San Francisco in 1915.

At least two of the present plaques appear to have been produced as part of a set, dated in accordance with 1935, depicting famous folk stories from the Chinese tradition. One, entitled Paint the Dragon; Dot the Eyes, depicts the origin story of an idiom meaning to ‘add finishing touches,’ in which a scholar paints a dragon so proficiently as to bring it to life. The second, Bo Ya plays the Zither, depicts the mythical qin player Bo Ya moving the woodcutter Zhong Ziqi with his playing. This interaction, with Zhong being the only one to ever truly ‘understood his music’ (zhiyin) is frequently turned to as a paradigm for friendship and platonic love in Chinese philosophy. The third plaque, possibly also from this set, depicts the Tang dynasty Marquis of Ye and his extensive book collection– seen in later periods as the paragon of scholarly collecting. The fourth plaque, untitled, is dated in accordance with 1945 and depicts a scholar walking with his attendant, carrying a zither. This tranquil yet wistful scene is accompanied by a quatrain composed by Ming poet Tao Zongyi (1322-1403), which may be translated as follows:

Layer upon layer of verdant trees guard the clear stream

I wish to find a kindred spirit (zhiyin), but the winding path confuses

With cloth stockings and straw sandals, my song remains unfinished

Yet I follow the wild scene, crossing the bridge to the west

Further famille-rose 'figural' plaques by Wang Dafan include a pair painted with scholarly scenes accompanied by related poems, sold in these rooms 11th September 2019, lot 942; another pair – painted with Xi Shi and Fan Li, and Hong Fu Nü respectively – sold in these rooms, 12th September 2018, lot 384; one painted with promenading figures, included in the exhibition Brush and Clay. Chinese Porcelain of the Early 20th Century, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1990, cat. no. 68; two sold at Bonhams San Francisco: one painted with statesmen and female musicians, 25th June 2014, lot 6382, and a smaller second plaque illustrating Li Bai, 17th December 2013, lot 8354; and another example, painted with scholars, from the collection of the Hon. Andrew Li Kwok Nang, sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 1st December 2010, lot 3279.