Yuan Blue‑and‑White Bowl with Mandarin Ducks in Lotus Pond

拍品描述

Dimensions: Height 9 cm, Diameter 18 cm, 14th century. Condition and Provenance: The bowl is intact without cracks, except for a small chip on the rim caused by age. The underglaze blue exhibits typical imported cobalt blue bleed and iron-brown spots. Ancient dust remains inside the bowl. The unglazed sandy foot shows natural kiln firing marks, patina, and wear over time, without any signs of later repairs or replacements. This bowl comes from a private collection in Princeton, New Jersey. Acquired from a London antique dealer in the 1970s, it has been passed down through family and kept in a private storage room, never publicly exhibited or appearing at auction. Description: This 14th-century Yuan dynasty blue and white bowl is a classic example of Yuan dynasty lotus pond porcelain. The rim flares outwards, the walls are curved, and the foot is high. The center of the bowl depicts mandarin ducks swimming in a lotus pond, their feathers finely detailed, interspersed with lotus flowers, seed pods, and aquatic plants, creating a rich and balanced composition. The inner rim is decorated with a scrolling foliage border. The upper outer wall is entirely decorated with scrolling lotus flowers and twining vines. The lower outer wall is decorated with stylized lotus petal patterns, embellished with ruyi cloud patterns and dots. The base is unglazed sandy, the porcelain is thick and shows heavy signs of age. The bowl is painted with imported cobalt blue pigment from the Yuan Dynasty, presenting a rich and full blue color, with a soft glaze and natural smudging and rust spots. Mandarin ducks and lotus ponds are a classic auspicious theme in Yuan Dynasty blue and white porcelain. The interior and exterior decorations of this bowl are exquisitely arranged, with bold and powerful brushstrokes, faithfully showcasing the artistic characteristics of the Yuan Dynasty. Complete surviving examples of this type are extremely rare.

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