Provenance
An American private collection.
Ralph Chait Galleries, New York, with their label to the base.
Christie's New York, 'Fine Chinese Ceramics, Paintings and Works of Art', 2000, lot 309.
S. Marchant & Son, London, with their label to the base.
The Mr. and Mrs. Baert-Devos Collection, Belgium. Acquired from the above in 2000 and accompanied by a copy of their original invoice. (see added scan)
Illustrated:
- Marchant, London, included in their 2025 publication 'One Hundred Years', Vol. I, p. 535, fig. 967.
Description
Elegantly potted with deep rounded sides rising from a short foot, the exterior is painted in underglaze blue with a winged 'Yinglong' soaring amongst scrolling clouds. The yinglong, a mythical winged dragon recorded in early Chinese texts, symbolises divine power, protection and auspicious blessings.
Encircling the rim is a lengthy dedicatory inscription recording the donation of the bowl by a devotee named 'Wu Zhen' from Leping County, Jiangxi Province, for perpetual offering before the sacred altar of Qiyun Mountain, one of China's most important Daoist sacred sites.
The interior is decorated with a central carp medallion and further painted with carp, mandarin fish, silver carp and bighead carp swimming amongst aquatic plants. Together the four fish form the rebus 'Li Gui Lian Yong 禮貴連雍', conveying wishes for prosperity, noble status and harmonious abundance.
The base bears a six-character underglaze-blue date inscription within a double circle:
大明萬曆戊寅年記
(Recorded in the Wuyin Year of the Wanli Reign)
This corresponds to 1578, the sixth year of the Wanli reign. Combining a precise date, a dedicatory inscription and a documented religious purpose, the present bowl is an exceptionally rare example of late Ming blue and white porcelain.
碗敞口，深弧腹，下承矮圈足。外壁以青花繪展翅應龍穿行於祥雲之間，姿態矯健生動。應龍為中國古代神話中的神龍，象徵神權、祥瑞與護佑。
口沿外壁環書青花楷書銘文：
大明國西江道饒州府樂平縣永善鄉諸奉里太安社信士弟子吳鎮□喜捨為福地齊雲山聖境案前永遠供奉立
記載江西樂平縣信士弟子吳鎮□捐獻此器，供奉於道教名山齊雲山聖境案前，以作永久供養之用。
碗內心繪游鯉一尾，內壁飾鯉魚、鱖魚、鰱魚及鱅魚穿游水草之間，取“鯉鱖鰱鱅”諧音“禮貴連雍”之意，寓意富貴昌隆、雍和吉祥。內外紋飾相互呼應，寓意深遠。
底心雙圈內書青花兩行六字紀年款：
大明萬曆戊寅年記
戊寅年對應萬曆六年（1578年）。兼具完整供養銘文、明確紀年及道教供器性質者頗為少見，具有重要的歷史與宗教文化價值。
Lot 1
Wanli mark and of the period, dated 1578
Dia.: 21,2 cm - H.: 10,5 cm
Estimation
€ 12.000,00 – € 18.000,00
Provenance
An American private collection.
Ralph Chait Galleries, New York, with their label to the base.
Christie's New York, 'Fine Chinese Ceramics, Paintings and Works of Art', 2000, lot 309.
S. Marchant & Son, London, with their label to the base.
The Mr. and Mrs. Baert-Devos Collection, Belgium. Acquired from the above in 2000 and accompanied by a copy of their original invoice. (see added scan)
Illustrated:
- Marchant, London, included in their 2025 publication 'One Hundred Years', Vol. I, p. 535, fig. 967.