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Lot 172
A BLUE AND WHITE ‚FISH AND WATERWEED‘ CHARGER
Estimated Value:
3.000 € - 5.000 €
Result:
incl. Premium and VAT
Description:
China, Kangxi six-character mark and periodD. 39,6 cm
The rounded sides rising to an everted rim, boldly painted to the interior with a lively auspicious scene of crustaceans and f ish amidst water weed. The underside is painted with trailing tendrils of flowers and water plants, six-character mark Kangxi within a double circle at the base.
Collection Carolyn Oei, collected in Asia in the 1950s and 60s, since the late 1960s in Hamburg, through descent within the family
The design although very appealing to the western eye is also very symbolic within Chinese culture. The fish is phonetically identical for the word for abundance and is also the ancient word for rank and power. The carp is the sign of the scholar, and only the scholar can hold a court position, the bearded carp is shown on the plate. The bearded carp was also meant to mu tate into a dragon when large enough and old enough. Fish is also seen as the sign for marital bliss. This is because they are seen swimming in pairs. Along with this and the fish ability to ward off evil they are also much sought after as a motif for the normal part of the populace. The crab also like the fish can repel bad magic and can also in Chinese medicine restore a mans potency. The water weed is one of the 12 symbols of the Emperor and is a symbol of purity. It is also thought to aid longevi ty and health. A very similar altough larger charger (49,6) cm is preserved in the collection of Ronald and Juliana Chao and published ‚Our Encounter with Ceramics - Chinese Ceramics from the Chao Collection‘, Hongkong, no. 17, p. 36. A copper-red and under glaze blue version oft hat type is published by Jeffrey P. Stamen and Cynthia Volk with Vibin Ni. A Culture Revealed: Kangxi era Chinese Porcelain from the Jie Rui Tang Collection, Bruges, 2017. pl. 68, sold at Sotheby’s New York, 2.3.2018, lot 381. Another similar decorated plate with additional copper red glaze, preserved in the Sir Michael Butler, see Canepa/ Butler ‚Leaping the Dragon Gate‘, London, 2021, no. III.4.85 a-c, p. 432, Inv.no. 1562. Fine hairline to rim into the well
