Lot 2249. A blue and white 'Boys' square box and cover, Jiajing six-character mark and of the period (1522-1566), 6 1/4 in. (15.7 cm.) wide. Estimate HKD 900,000 - HKD 1,200,000. Price realised HKD 1,110,000. © Christie's Images Ltd 2013

The square cover with canted corners is painted in cobalt of vivid purplish-blue tone with a quatrefoil cartouche detailed with four boys at play in a garden. The sides are decorated with ogival panels each enclosing a different fruiting and flowering spray, on a diaper ground with Wan symbols, and a band of lingzhi scroll. This pattern is repeated on the sides of the box, Japanese wood box.

Note: The theme of 'boys' became a favoured theme in Southern Song paintings, particularly by the Academy painter, Su Hanchen (active early 12th century). The Southern Song depiction of children with characteristic shaven heads, rounded faces and wide eyes evidently continued into the Ming period as can be seen from the children painted on the present jar. The theme of 'children at play' or 'a hundred boys' became symbolic of progeny and fulfillment of the Confucian ideal in the education, and advancement of sons. 

The imagery was especially appropriate to the Jiajing Emperor. Being a devout Daoist and particularly concerned with producing male heirs. It was recorded in the Ming Shi, 'Ming History' that Emperor Jiajing had commissioned for a Daoist rite to take place in the Imperial Garden in the eleventh year of his reign (1532) for the intended purpose of praying for the birth of imperials sons. Boxes painted with boys were good auguries for the emperor and highly regarded, such as the current box.  

Christie's. Imperial Sale; Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, 29 May 2013, Hong Kong, HKCEC Grand Hall