Kangxi Wucai Dragon and Phoenix Bowls

A pair of Wucai 'Dragon and Phoenix' bowls marks and period of…
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A pair of Wucai 'Dragon and Phoenix' bowls marks and period of Kangxi each finely potted with steeply rounded sides rising to a flared rim, the exterior brightly enamelled with a green and a red dragon chasing flaMing pearls interspersed with two descending phoenix in flight on a ground of floral sprays, all below a narrow band of bajixiang alternating with ruyi heads, the interior with a central medallion enclosing an iron-red dragon among flames in pursuit of a flaming pearl, the base inscribed with a six-character mark in underglaze blue within a double circle (2), 13 cm. Provenance: Acquired in Australia in the 1940s or 1950s (by repute). By descent These bowls with auspicious representation of a dragon and phoenix convey a wish for a happy marriage. This particular decoration first produced during the Kangxi period was so successful that several later reigns of the Qing Dynasty produced their own versions of this composition with its brilliant distinctive palette. Wucai 'Dragon and phoenix' bowls of Kangxi mark and period in three different sizes were included in the exhibition Qing Imperial porcelain of the Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong Reigns, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1995, cat. No. 26 from the Nanjing Museum, which houses a large part of the former Imperial collection. Two further similar examples are illustrated in Kangxi porcelain wares from the Shanghai Museum collection, Hong Kong, 1998, pl.153 a similar single bowl was sold at Sotheby's, New York, 12 September 2012, lot 260

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  • Ming Dynasty - The Ming Dynasty was a ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644. It succeeded the Yuan Dynasty and preceded the Qing Dynasty. The Ming Dynasty was established by Zhu Yuanzhang, a former Buddhist monk who became a rebel leader and eventually overthrew the Mongol Yuan Dynasty. During the Ming Dynasty, China experienced a period of relative stability and prosperity. The government was centralized and bureaucratic, with the emperor at the top of the hierarchy. The Ming Dynasty is known for its cultural achievements, including the development of porcelain, the invention of movable type printing, and the construction of the Great Wall of China.

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