Lot 271. A blue and white Ming-style 'floral' bowl, Yongzheng mark and period (1723-1735). Estimate 80,000 — 120,000 USD. Photo Sotheby's

rising from a slightly tapered foot, the gently rounded sides everted at the rim, painted in vivid tones of cobalt-blue in the Ming style with simulated 'heaping and piling', the exterior painted with a continuous composite floral meander, with the different flowers borne among feathery leaves and other foliate motifs, above a border of linked ruyi encircling the foot, the interior with a central medallion enclosing a single peony bloom, the base with a six-character mark in underglaze blue - Diameter 4 3/4  in., 12 cm

Notes: Expertly decorated with elegant floral blooms and curling leafy scrolls unfolding over the exterior surface, this elegant bowl represents the Yongzheng Emperor’s taste for classic styles of the past and his interest in their reinterpretation resulting in highly innovative contemporary designs of outstanding quality. The Yongzheng Emperor took a keen interest in the work of various imperial manufactories in his empire, particularly the imperial kilns at Jingdezhen where artistic direction was led by his personal taste. Through his brilliant kiln supervisor, Tang Ying, he achieved a distinctive style and refinement by studying celebrated wares of the past and fine-tuning shapes to harmonious proportions, developing sophisticated designs and aspiring to the standard of the best works from Chinese history.

Bowls of this type are rare; a closely related pair of bowls was sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 31st October 1974, lot 194; and a single bowl, also with similar interlocking ruyi heads above the foot, was offered at Christie’s Hong Kong, 29th September 1992, lot 498. While the motif and ‘heaping and piling’ effect of the cobalt has been inspired by early Ming blue and white designs, the Yongzheng craftsman has created a highly contemporary design by infusing the scroll with a featheriness that is characteristic of Western rococo scrolling fronds, which reflects the artistic and cultural exchange of his time.

Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 13 sept. 2016, 10:30 AM