A blue and white bowl, Qing dynasty, Kangxi (1662-1722).

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From the Collection of Tove and Karl Emil Strømstad (born 1936), Norway. The couple built their collection over the decades. They started to collect in the early 1970's after buying the first piece, a famille rose bowl, dating from the 18th Century. Mr Strømstads work at IBM brought the couple and their family to various places around the world and they built their vast academic collection of ceramics dating from the Han dynasty to the Qing dynasty by visiting auction houses, antique dealers and antique fairs. Always striving to acquire pieces form different epoques and constantly seeking more knowledge about the pieces, the techniques and their history.

Strømstad label 23.

For other items from this collection, se Sothebys, Asian Arts / 5000 Years. 18 April 2023. Paris. Lot no 1-39.

According to Daoist legend, a jade-white hare or rabbit lives on the moon, grinding the elixir of immortality with a pestle and mortar. The elixir was believed to have been stolen from the archer Yi by Lady Chang-E, who fled with it to the moon. However, a Buddhist story provides another explanation of how the rabbit came to live on the moon. The Buddha arrived in a forest, exhausted and hungry after many days of traveling. All the animals came to him bringing the foods that they usually gathered for themselves. The rabbit intended to bring fresh green grass and leaves, but when he found them, he ate them himself. The rabbit was consumed by guilt and going to the Buddha admitted his folly and offered that the Buddha could eat him instead. The Buddha was so touched by this gesture that he bestowed upon the rabbit the gift of eternal life on the moon. Rabbits are therefore associated with long life.