Note: The current pair of bowls exemplifies the Yongzheng Emperor's admiration for celebrated Chinese ceramics and antiquity as well as his desire to uphold such traditions. Decorated in rich cobalt-blue tones against a plain white ground in a Ming dynasty fashion, the dragons call to mind a motif that gained popularity from the early Ming dynasty, which can be seen decorated on bowls of virtually every period since the reign of Chenghua. Compare three related examples from the Chenghua, Hongzhi and Wanli reigns in the collection of the Shanghai Museum, included in Lu Minghua, Mingdai guanyao ciqi [Ming imperial porcelain], Shanghai, 2007, pls 1-84, 3-61 and 3-69.

Bowls of this type, powerfully portrayed with Ming-style dragons, were produced in pairs. Compare three related pairs, sold in these rooms, 14th November 1989, lot 87, 2nd May 1995, lot 66 and 29th April 1997, lot 614, respectively. That this motif was highly favoured by the Yongzheng Emperor can be seen in the commissioning of ogee bowls painted with very similar motifs, such as a pair included in the exhibition Ch'ing Porcelain from the Wah Kwong Collection, Art Gallery, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 1973, cat. no. 59; and another pair sold in these rooms, 3rd October 2018, lot 145, from the collection of Sir Quo-Wei Lee.