A blue and white  'Five Poisons' dish.  Wanli Mark And Period. Photo Sotheby's

heavily potted, the interior painted with the Daoist Zhang Daoling standing next to a tiger, as a demon brings him a sword, surrounded by four of the 'Five Poisons' (wudu): the snake, scorpion, lizard and the three-legged toad, all in a landscape setting of pine trees, rocks and flowers, surrounded by sprigs and flowers on the well, the exterior further decorated with alternating 'Five Poisons' and plants, above a short foot encircled by a classic scroll border, six-character mark in underglaze blue within a double circle. Diameter 12 3/8 in., 31.3 cm. Estiimate 10,000-15,000 USD

PROVENANCE: Collection of Dr. Richard and Mrs. Mary Eckhardt, acquired in Japan between 1947-1952 while Dr. Eckhardt was serving as a surgeon in the United States Army and thence by descent.

NOTE: The depiction of Zhang Daoling and the 'Five Poisons', which are represented by the snake, centipede, scorpion, lizard and toad, was a popular motif for the Duanwu festival, which occurs on the fifth day and fifth lunar month on the Chinese calendar. During this time, these creatures would come out of hibernation, and so many of the themes associated with the Duanwu festival relate to fighting off evil forces and these poisonous creatures. It was believed that the accumulated poisons of the five would counter any other poison that one may come in contact with.hilst no other Wanli-marked blue and white dishes of this exact design appear to be recorded, the subject matter is well-known on wucai saucer dishes from the same period. See, the pair of wucai decorated saucer dishes from the Edward T. Chow collection sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 19th May 1981, lot 435; and another saucer dish with the same subject matter sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 27th October 2003, lot 614.

Sotheby's. Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art. New York | 20 Mar 2012 www..sothebys.com