Lot 147. A large blue and white 'eight Buddhist emblems' dish, Mark and period of Yongzheng (1723-1735). Diameter 17⅞ in., 45.4 cm. Estimate: 80,000 - 120,000 USD. Lot sold: 75,600 USD. © Sotheby's 2021

sturdily potted with shallow rounded sides rising to a wide everted rim, the center painted with a stylized flowerhead surrounded by intricate lotus scrolls, the cavetto decorated with the 'Eight Buddhist Emblems' surrounded by a meandering lotus stem issuing blossoms and curling leaves, all encircled by a band of rolling waves at the rim, the exterior with six alternating sprays of fruits and flowers, the base with a six-character mark within a double circle in underglaze blue.

Provenance: Acquired in Germany, 1990.

Note: Large chargers bearing this 'Eight Buddhist Emblems' and lotus design are rare. The present charger derives many design elements from classic blue and white porcelain of the Ming dynasty. For instance, the 'heaped and piled' effect is inspired by the application of cobalt on early Ming wares, and the effects of the accumulated iron oxide in the pigment. The wave design on the rim and the scrolling lotus in the center originate from Yongle and Xuande period moonflasks that were heavily influenced by Islamic metal wares, while the fruiting and blossoming branches on the exterior derive directly from Yongle and Xuande period chargers. For another charger of this type, see one sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 29th May 2018, lot 3035. 

Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art, New York, 21 September 2021