Lot 80. Property from The Li Fan Thompson collection A rare blue and white fishbowl, Wanli six-character mark and of the period (1573-1619); 43cm high. Sold for £127,400. © Bonhams 2001-2024

The steep sides rising to a lipped rim, the exterior painted with a continuous scene of four fish including a mackerel, a whitefish, a carp, and a mandarin fish, swimming amongst leafy lotus and aquatic plants, the rim inscribed with a six-character mark in horizontal line.

Provenance: an American East Coast private collection
S. Marchant & Son, London
The Li Fan Thompson collection, London, acquired from the above on 7 December 2009

Published, Illustrated and Exhibited: S. Marchant & Son, Ming Porcelain, London, 2009, pp.74-75, cat. no.31

Note: The four different types of fish depicted on the current lot are mackerel qing (鯖), whitefish ba (鲌), carp li (鯉), and mandarin fish gui (鱖).This combination was chosen for its phonetic resemblance to the words 青白礼贵 (qing bai li gui) which means 'incorruptible, honourable, and noble.' This design was invented during the Yuan dynasty, see a blue and white fishbowl painted with this subject in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing (acc. no.資陶瓷00010774). The design on the current lot seems to be directly inspired by similar Yuan porcelain prototypes. The motif became very popular during the Jiajing period of the Ming dynasty and was widely imitated by later generations. See a related wucai fishbowl, Jiajing mark and of the period, in the collection of the Musée Guimet, Paris, illustrated by D.Lion-Goldschmidt, Ming Porcelain, Fribourg, 1978, p.172, pl.151.

The current piece vividly showcases the Imperial artisans' remarkable mastery of cobalt pigment, creating an astonishingly rich visual effect. The bends and curves of the plant life complement the cylindrical form, adding depth and movement to the serene scene, making it feel more three-dimensional. The fish are drawn with dark violet-blue outlines and details over paler blue washes.

A very similar fishbowl, gifted by Walter P. Chrysler, Jr. (1909-1988), may be found in the Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, (acc.no.1971.2585). The Shanghai Museum has a slightly smaller version of a carp-decorated fishbowl illustrated in Lu Minghua, Underglaze Blue and Red: Elegant Decoration on Porcelain of Yuan, Ming and Qing, Hong Kong, 1993, pl. 1-72.

Bonhams. Fine Chinese Art, London, New Bond Street, 7 November 2024