A finely carved Longquan celadon bowl, Early Ming dynasty, 15th century
Lot 1056. A finely carved Longquan celadon bowl, Early Ming dynasty, 15th century; 8 ¼ in. (20.8 cm.) diam. Estimate USD 30,000 - USD 50,000. Price realised USD 35,000. © Christie’s Images Limited 2019.
The interior is carved with a chrysanthemum flowerhead in the center, surrounded by a leafy composite floral scroll in the well, which is repeated on the exterior. It is covered under a glaze of soft sea-green color, lacquer cover, Japanese wood box.
Note: This finely carved bowl is exceptional for the beauty of its glaze and the harmonious organization of its decoration. Longquan celadons such as the present bowl were much admired both in the Ming court and abroad. This is attested by the large quantity of celadons preserved in collections such as the Topkapi Saray Museum in Istanbul and the Ardebil Collection in the Iran Bastan in Tehran. In addition, sherds excavated from the Longquan Dayao kiln site bearing official marks further emphasize their importance.