Lot 26. A rare blue and white 'boys' dish, Wanli six-character mark in underglaze blue within a double circle and of the period (1573-1619); 7 in.(17.8 cm.) diam. Estimate GBP 6,000 - GBP 8,000 (USD 7,782 - USD 10,376). Price realised GBP 43,750. © Christie's Images Ltd 2019.

The dish is decorated to the centre with three boys bathing in a large tub and three further boys playing in a fenced garden beside a pine tree, one fishing with a large rod, all enclosed by two pairs of confronted five-clawed dragons in pursuit of the flaming pearl to the rim. The exterior is decorated within a border of six leafy branches, including pomegranate, persimmon and peaches.

Property from the estate of Albert and Leonie Van Daalen, Switzerland.

Provenance: With Ben Janssens Oriental Art, London, 20 March 2002.

Note: The depiction of children at play is a visually pleasing, auspicious subject matter that was popular in Chinese art during the Ming dynasty. The subject has its roots in Buddhist beliefs, influenced by Daoism, but by the Tang dynasty (AD 618-907) had become a secular theme associated with the auspicious wish for sons and grandsons. One boy is depicted holding a lotus stem and this may be a rebus or visual pun. The word for lotus in Chinese is lian which is a homophone for a word meaning continuous or successive, and when combined with a boy suggests the successive birth of sons and grandsons. Another Chinese word for lotus is pronounced he, which sounds like the word for harmony, suggesting that there will be harmony among the sons and grandsons.