Antique Chinese KoSometsuke 17C Porcelain Ming Transitional Dear And Lingzhi

Out of stock

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Condition Report: Overall Condition; Rimfritting and small tension in hairline in base. Size: 213mm

An identical dish is in the Butler collection and pictured in the book: Trade Taste & Transfortmation Jingdezhen porcelain for Japan – Julia B Curtis

61. Dish
青花鹿纹花口盘
Ming dynasty, probably Tianqi
period (1621-1627)
Porcelain decorated in underglaze
cobalt blue
H. 3 cm; Diam. 18 cm
Butler Family Collection
As on the previous dish (cat. no. 60), the
outside of the cavetto is molded to resem-
ble a chrysanthemum. Its form is reminis-
cent of the lotus shaped dishes made for the
domestic Chinese market in the Wanli era,
often with a Chinese character in seal script
in the center.’ This dish is decorated in the
center with a scene containing two deer, a
large pine, and bamboo sprouting at the
base of the pine.
Like many wares made for the Japan-
ese market in this period, the world
depicted in the center of the dish is turned
upside down; the dark deer which follows
the piebald deer walks on an almost verti-
cal ground plane, and the pine leans pre-
cipitously over both deer. A wispy but turbulent cloud
hovers over the pine, and half the sun is obscured by the
single blue line that frames the scene. The form and
painting of the pine is also typical of the period; the tree
has a twisted trunk, two writhing branches, and needles
depicted in clumps of short dark lines covered with a
medium blue wash. Both the pine and the deer are sym-
bols of longevity; the word for “deer” in Chinese, lu, is
also a homophone for the word meaning “emolument,”
the salary paid to an official, and thus its representation
implies a wish for prosperity.
The dish is molded and covered with a thick greyish
glaze. Long chatter marks are evident on the bottom. As
on many wares of this period made for the Japanese mar-
ket, kiln grit adheres to the glaze inside and outside the
unglazed foot ring.

 

A very nicely decorated plate. A late Ming Ksometsuke porcelain dish,  Tianqi or Chongzhen Period 1621 – 1644.

A scholar under a pine tree and a young boy.  Symbolising Wisdom, peace and old age.