A rare coral-ground famille-verte bowl Yongzheng mark and period

finely potted with deep rounded sides resting on a straight foot, the exterior intricately painted with two registers of flowering peony blooms borne on foliate scrolls, the upper blossoms enamelled with yellow and blue petals surrounding a stippled yellow centre, the lower register of smaller peony blooms variously painted in blue, iron-red and aubergine enamels, the leaves in two tones of clear green enamel outlined in grisaille, all reserved on a rich coral-red ground, the interior and base glazed in white, inscribed to the base with a four-character reign mark within a double-square

John Sparks, London, 19th June 1959.
Collection of Sir Alfred Beit (1903-1994).

One hairline rim crack to interior, measuring approximately 40mm and barely visible to exterior. Otherwise in excellent general contition, with only very faint rubbing to the coral-ground (particularly to foot ring) and some minor flaking to one blue-enamel flower head.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The colours employed on this bowl are typical of the porcelain produced in the early Yongzheng period at the Imperial Workshops in Jingdezhen and continue in the style pioneered by craftsmen of the Kangxi period. Dark-coloured grounds were favoured for floral bowls of this type for their ability to dramatically display the vibrant famille-verte palette. Hugh Moss suggests in By Imperial Command. An Introduction to Ch’ing Imperial Painted Enamels, Hong Kong, 1976, p. 82, that such bowls that relied heavily on the traditional famille-verte palette were probably produced in Jingdezhen following porcelains painted in the Palace Workshops in Beijing. Until the craftsmen in Jingdezhen became acquainted with the developments in famille-rose of the Beijing ateliers they continued to work in the dominant style of the Kangxi period. Moss suggests that Yongzheng yuzhi marked famille-verte coral-ground bowls of this pattern were produced in Jingdezhen between 1722 and circa 1725 and between 1722 and 1728 with additional touches of famille-roseenamels.

 

This bowl is notable for both the unusual composition and colouring of the two bands of peony blossoms. A bowl of this type but with a ruby ground, was sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 9^th November 1982, lot 293, and again in our New York rooms, 11^th/12^th September 2012, lot 11, from the collection of William and Jennifer Shaw. Compare also a similar coral-ground bowl, but the floral blooms coloured in famille-rose enamels, illustrated ibid., pl. 82, and sold in our New York rooms together with its companion piece, 29^th November 1978, lots 373 and 374 respectively.

 

The colour scheme of this piece is related to smaller bowls of shallower form and lipped rim, similarly painted with three large peony blossoms in yellow and red against a rich coral ground and inscribed with four-character Yongzheng yuzhi marks; see one in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, included in the Museum’s exhibition Painted Enamel of the Ch’ing Dynasty, Taipei, 1979, cat. no. 35; and two in the Chang Foundation, published in Selected Chinese Ceramics from Han to Qing Dynasties, Taipei, 1990, pl. 142. A bowl of this shallow type painted with related blue and white blossoms, in the Shanghai Museum, is included in Chugoku toji zenshu, vol. 21, Kyoto, 1981, pl. 105.