Large Blue and White ‘Birds and Flowers’ Bowl

Late Ming Dynasty
Porcelain
Jingdezhen, Jiangxi Province, South Central China
D: 35.7cm H: 16cm

Sturdily potted the large bowl with deep rounded sides rising from a thick circular footrim with a four character mark, fugui jiaqi within a square. The exterior is decorated with three different evenly spaced peach trees each with a large curved beaked bird perching on a branch below a band of winged flying horses in between ruyi clouds. The interior is decorated with a large white hare in long grass within a double circle. The exterior of the footrim is decorated with a band of floral scrolling.

The four character fugui jiaqi mark translates to ‘fine vessel for the rich and honourable’, the winged flying horses is the Chinese version of the Western winged horse, Pegasus and symbolises strength and power. The peach tree and white hare are both symbolism of longevity whilst the ruyi clouds represents the gates of heaven and symbolises good fortune. Pact full of auspicious motifs this bowl would be suitable as a birthday gift to a respected member of the social-elite.

• A similar blue and white bowl decorated with this motif is in the Museum of East Asian Art, Bath, U.K. Accession number: BATEA : 908

Provenance:
– Sotheby’s New York, 7th December 1983, lot 300.
– New York Private Collection, and thence by descent.