An incised green and aubergine-enamelled 'dragon' bowl. Kangxi six-character mark and of the period
An incised green and aubergine-enamelled 'dragon' bowl. Kangxi six-character mark and of the period . Photo Bonhams
The vessels rising from a short straight foot, the wide voluptuous body of steep sides flaring to a lipped mouthrim, the exterior finely incised with two fearsome dragons and chasing after flaming pearls amongst lightning cloud, each with angered facial expression flanked by a pair of horns and revealing gnarled teeth, the mythical beast with its outstretched claws of sharpened talons in flight above raging waves, all finely enamelled in aubergine colour above green ground, the base with the six-character mark in underglaze-blue. 11.1cm diam..Sold for HK$ 312,500
清康熙 綠地紫彩雙龍戲珠紋盌 青花「大清康熙年製」楷書款
Provenance 來源: Sotheby Parke-Bernet Hong Kong, 23-24 May 1978, lot 175
Sixty years of Imperial rule under the Kangxi Emperor saw the ceramic production reaching new heights, in which new varieties of typeforms and production techniques reached a cradle in Chinese ceramic history. The current lot is of a typical style and taste favoured by the Kangxi Emperor. The dragon motif was first incised directly onto the biscuit and fired in high temperature. Afterwards, rich green and aubergine would be applied and fired a second time in a low temperature.
An identical sized example of a Kangxi green and aubergine-enamelled bowl with incised dragon motif is in the Shanghai Museum collections, see Kangxi Porcelain Wares from the Shanghai Museum Collection, Shanghai, 1998, p.302, no.196, pl.196-1 and 196-2. For another larger example in the Qing court collection, see Micellaneous Enamelled Porcelains. Plain Tricoloured Porcelains. The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Shanghai, 2009, p.160, no.126.
Bonhams. 27 May 2012 2 p.m. Hong Kong. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art