A blue and white 'dragon' bowl, Mark and period of Yongzheng

European Private Collection, acquired in London, circa 1965.

Private Collection of Richard Marchant, and thence by descent.

This bowl exemplifies the Yongzheng Emperor’s deep admiration for celebrated Chinese ceramics and antiquity, as well as his commitment to preserving these revered traditions. Elegantly decorated in rich cobalt-blue tones on a pristine white ground, the 'dragons' design draws clear inspiration from Ming dynasty prototypes. The dynamic depiction of the dragon recalls a motif that rose to prominence in the early Ming period and continued to be employed on imperial wares throughout successive reigns, notably from the Chenghua era onward. Comparable examples from the Chenghua, Hongzhi and Wanli reigns are preserved in the collection of the Shanghai Museum and illustrated in Lu Minghua, Mingdai guanyao ciqi [Ming Imperial Porcelain], Shanghai, 2007, pls 1-84, 3-61 and 3-69.

Bowls of this type, boldly rendered with Ming-style dragons, were typically produced in pairs. Compare an identical pair sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 8th April 2023, lot 3636; and other related pairs sold respectively on 2nd May 1995, lot 66; 29th April 1997, lot 614; and 8th October 2019, lot 3111. The popularity of this motif under the Yongzheng Emperor is further evidenced by the production of ogee-shaped bowls painted with closely comparable designs, such as a pair exhibited in Ch’ing Porcelain from the Wah Kwong Collection, Art Gallery, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 1973, cat. no. 59; and another pair formerly in the collection of Sir Quo-Wei Lee, sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 3rd October 2018, lot 145.