Ovoid form, dekor i wucaifärgerna rött, grönt, gult och blått med olika fiskar simmandes bland havsväxter inom reserver. Halsen dekorerad med stiliserade klippor, vågor och daoistiska symboler. Locket från samma tid, ej samma dekor. Höjd med lock 36,2 cm.
Wear.
Purchased from Bonhams Bond Street, London, November 2008, Lot 3.
The Avalon Collection.
This collection, which in the main focuses on the Interregnum and Kangxi periods has been both carefully and sensitively formed over the last twenty-five years. The collector, a member of the English Oriental Ceramic Society, has assembled the collection with an eye for provenance whilst purchasing from old European collections, well-established antique dealers and at auction.
Academically, the pieces have been well researched both in terms of their symbolism and narrative themes. In many instances the imagery on the pieces has been referenced to episodes in the romantic and historic novels of Chinese mythology, which were used extensively in the decoration of seventeenth century Chinese porcelain.
For a cup and saucer incorporating a design of different types of fish in Famille Verte see: Chinese Porcelain in Green Enamels”, by Christiaan J A Jorg, Page 141, Tem No 134.
Each roundel is outlined in iron-red, green, yellow and blue and contains a single type of fish – carp, goldfish, catfish and mudfish. In contrast with its philosophical symbolism, fish have a more popular meaning based on the homophonous relationship that “fish” (yu) share with “surplus, abundant”. With the scale covered carp - identifiable here by its wide mouth, barbels attached to its upper lip and long dorsal fin – its name is homophonous with li meaning “power, strength and ability”.
Four freshwater fish together – as represented here on the body of the vase – represent qingbai lianjie or be “spotless and incorruptible”.