Lot 105. The Leshantang Collection. An incised green-enamelled 'dragon' dish, Mark and period of Zhengde (1506-1521). 17,6 cm. Lot Sold 1,905,000 HKD (Estimate 200,000 - 300,000 HKD). © Sotheby's 2024

with shallow rounded sides rising from a tapered foot to a flared rim, the interior incised and enamelled in a bright translucent green with a sinuous five-clawed dragon prancing on its forelegs among clouds, the exterior similarly decorated with two dragons against a ground of incised waves, the base inscribed with a six-character reign mark in underglaze blue within a double circle.

Literature: The Leshantang Collection, Taipei, 2005, pl. I8.

Note: Imperial porcelain dishes with green-enamelled dragon designs first appeared in the Chenghua period, with and sometimes without reign marks. More were manufactured in later periods of the Ming dynasty, particularly during the Hongzhi and Zhengde periods, and almost always with reign marks. The various periods of the Qing dynasty spanning from Kangxi to Guangxu also saw the production of ‘green dragon’ dishes, demonstrating their importance as a classic and representative type of porcelain favoured at the Ming and Qing imperial courts. While dragons on most Qing dishes are only painted over the glaze in green, in Ming examples, they are usually first incised and reserved in the biscuit during firing. Their silhouettes were then filled with green enamel for a second firing. This extra procedure of incising gives a somewhat three-dimensional touch to the finished piece.

Sotheby's. The Leshantang Collection (II) – Treasures of Chinese Art from the Tsai I-Ming Collection, Hong Kong, 9 April 2024.