Finely potted with shallow rounded sides supported on a short tapered foot, decorated to the interior in rich tones of cobalt blue simulating the 'heaping and piling' effect, with a central roundel enclosed within a double circle painted with a flowering day lily with prominent upright pollen-bearing anthers, surrounded by dense foliage issuing from sinuous stems, the exterior freely painted with a continuous undulating scroll bearing four day lilies, each with five delicate petals tapering to the tip, the design further punctuated with curling leaves issuing from the meandering scroll, the base with the six-character reign mark within a double circle.

Provenance: Marchant, London (label)
Littleton & Hennessy Asian Art, London, 23 March 2006
A European private collection.

Note: Finely painted with scrolls of blossoming day lilies, this elegant dish was inspired by the exquisite designs characterising the imperial porcelain production at Jingdezhen during the celebrated Chenghua period (1465-1487).'Palace' bowls of the Chenghua period, decorated with undulating scrolls of blossoming day lilies appear to have served as prototype for the present vessel. Reserved for imperial consumption, 'Palace' bowls were characterised by remarkable understatement, outstanding craftmanship and perfectly attuned proportions.

During the Yongzheng's reign, great efforts were devoted to the porcelain production to create subtle and elegant wares that reflected the temperament of the emperor himself. His admiration for the ancient philosophy, art appreciation and way of life, directly informed his own aesthetic approach. This prompted the creation of refined vessels which faithfully captured the spirit of the much celebrated classic wares of the Song dynasty and the much-celebrated imperial style of the Yongle, Xuande and Chenghua reigns of the early to mid Ming dynasty.

Also referred to as the 'plant dispelling grief'wangyoucao and the 'boy-favouring herb' yi nancao, the day lily is revered as an auspicious flower symbolising progeny and longevity, even though its blooms only last one day; see T.T.Bartholomew, Hidden Meanings in Chinese Art, San Francisco, 2006, p.67.

The design of the present dish is related to that of a coral-ground underglaze-blue 'Palace' bowl, Yongzheng mark and period, in the Birmingham Art Gallery, which was later sold at Sotheby's New York, 15 March 2017, lot 707. See also a blue and white bowl decorated with day lilies, with apocryphal Chenghua mark, Yongzheng period, from the Percival David Collection, British Museum, London, illustrated by S.Pierson, Illustrated Catalogue of Underglaze Blue and Copper Red in the Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art, London, 2004, p.72. For a blue and white 'day lily' bowl, Chenghua mark and period, also from the Percival David Collection, see ibid., p.62, no.A648.

Private Sales at Bonhams