Lot 53. A large blue and white 'dragon' jar, Jiajing period (1522-1566); 13 ¼ in. (33.6 cm.) high. Estimate GBP 10,000 - GBP 15,000 (USD 12,970 - USD 19,455). Price realised GBP 16,250. © Christie's Images Ltd 2019

The jar is decorated to the exterior in inky tones of cobalt blue with two winged dragons chasing flaming pearls amidst scrolling clouds, above a band of waves, all between a band of Buddhist lions and brocade balls to the shoulder and a stylised lappet band to the foot.

Note: This type of winged dragon is sometimes called a ying long, and sometimes a feiyu. The winged dragon was one of a group of winged or flame-propelled animals associated with the sea - commonly known simply as haishou or sea-creatures - who appear on porcelains of the Ming dynasty. It has been suggested that this was a reflection of China's maritime supremacy in the early Ming period (see L.A. Cort and J. Stuart in Joined Colors: Decoration and Meaning in Chinese Porcelain, Washington, DC, 1993, p. 40). This may be so, but in fact these creatures have a much earlier origin in the Shanhaijing or 'Classic of Mountains and Seas', which was a literary work revised by Guo Pu in the Eastern Jin period (AD 317-420), but which regained popularity in the early Ming dynasty. All of the sea-creatures seen on Ming porcelains can be identified from descriptions in the Shanhaijing (see Chen Ching-kuang, 'Sea Creatures on Ming Imperial porcelains', in Rosemary Scott (ed.), The Porcelains of Jingdezhen, London , 1993, pp.101-22). These appear as a group on 15th century imperial porcelain and on those of the Wanli reign. Two of the group appear individually on porcelains of the Jiajing reign - the winged horse and the winged dragon. Compare the decoration of this jar to a very similarly decorated fish basin sold at Christie's London, 9 November 2010, lot 219.

A large and rare blue and white 'winged dragon' fish bowl, Jiajing six-character mark in a line along the rim and of the period (1522-66); 28½ in. (72.5 cm.) diam. Sold for 61,250 GBP at Christie's London, 9 November 2010, lot 219. © Christie's Images Ltd 2010

Stoutly potted with gently rounded sides and flat rim, the exterior finely painted in rich tones of cobalt blue with two winged dragons in pursuit of the flaming pearl, all amidst stylised clouds and above crashing waves at the foot.

Note: This impressive Jiajing fish bowl is remarkable not only for its large size, but also for the fact that it is decorated with winged dragons of the type sometimes called feiyu or flying fish. The Jiajing Emperor was a very demanding patron, and a number of large fish bowl are known from his reign period. However, the majority are somewhat smaller than the current example, as in the case of the fish bowl formerly in the J. M. Hu Collection, which is now in the Shanghai Museum (illustrated in Selected Ceramics from the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Hu, Shanghai, 1989, no. 21), and the example illustrated by He Zhengguang, et al., Mingdai taoci daquan, Taibei, 1987, p. 317. A Jiajing fish bowl with dragon decoration, of similar size to the current example, was, however, sold in our New York rooms 21st September, 2004 (lot 242). These very large fish bowls, with their necessarily thick walls and wide mouths were especially difficult to fire successfully. R.L. Hobson in The Wares of the Ming Dynasty, London, 1923, pp. 19 and 110, makes the point that this type of vessel took up to nine days to fire, and the high failure rate was the cause of much distress to the potters at the imperial kilns. It should also be noted that the amount of fuel consumed in nine days of firing would also have added significantly to the cost of these large fish bowls. 

The current fish bowl is particularly rare because of the type of dragon depicted around its sides. Most other Jiajing dragon-decorated fish bowls are painted with five-clawed dragons amongst clouds. On this vessel, however, the dragons have wings instead of forelegs, and fins instead of rear legs. Their tails end in a shape resembling a ruyi, and the creatures, while still being amongst clouds, skim over the top of a turbulent sea. This type of winged dragon is sometimes called a ying long, and sometimes a feiyu. The winged dragon was one of a group of winged or flame-propelled animals associated with the sea - commonly known simply as haishou or sea-creatures - who appear on porcelains of the Ming dynasty. It has been suggested that this was a reflection of China's maritime supremacy in the early Ming period (see L.A. Cort and J. Stuart in Joined Colors: Decoration and Meaning in Chinese Porcelain, Washington, DC, 1993, p. 40). This may be so, but in fact these creatures have a much earlier origin in the Shanhaijing or 'Classic of Mountains and Seas', which was a literary work revised by Guo Pu in the Eastern Jin period (AD 317-420), but which regained popularity in the early Ming dynasty. All of the sea-creatures seen on Ming porcelains can be identified from descriptions in the Shanhaijing (see Chen Ching-kuang, 'Sea Creatures on Ming Imperial porcelains', in Rosemary Scott (ed.), The Porcelains of Jingdezhen, London , 1993, pp.101-22). These appear as a group on 15th century imperial porcelain and on those of the Wanli reign. Two of the group appear individually on porcelains of the Jiajing reign - the winged horse and the winged dragon. 

Christie's. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, London, 5 November 2019