Ming Dynasty, Wanli Period Wucai Dish with Qilin Bearing Auspicious Treasures and Floral Scrolls

拍品描述

Dimensions: Diameter 15 cm (approximately 5.91 in); Wanli Period, late 16th to early 17th centuryCondition and Provenance: Overall in well-preserved condition, with the rim, shallow rounded walls, and foot ring remaining intact and well formed. The glaze retains a naturally aged surface with minor wear from long-term handling and display. The underglaze blue and overglaze iron-red, green, and yellow enamels remain well preserved, with light age-related wear and natural variation in color density. Minor old wear is visible along the foot rim. From a private collection in New York, United States, with a history of family ownership overseas.Description: This finely decorated wucai dish presents the bold color, auspicious imagery, and densely organized surface design that are closely associated with decorative porcelains of the Wanli period. The vessel is formed with an open mouth, a gently rounded rim, shallow curved sides, and a neatly proportioned foot ring. Its compact size gives the piece an intimate scale, while the highly saturated palette and energetic central subject give it a surprisingly strong visual presence. The interior is organized around a clearly defined central medallion framed by double underglaze-blue lines. Within the center appears a lively qilin shown in forward motion, its head raised and its four legs animated as if galloping across the field. The creature is outlined and detailed primarily in iron red, with scale patterning across the body and additional touches of green, blue, and yellow. Resting on its back is an elaborate group of auspicious treasures beneath a decorative canopy or standard, rendered in a combination of cobalt blue, green enamel, and iron red. Scattered around the animal are additional precious objects, including jewel-like forms, scrolls, symbolic emblems, and stylized clouds, creating a festive and richly layered composition. In Chinese visual culture, the qilin is traditionally understood as an auspicious creature associated with benevolent rule, peace, prosperity, and the arrival of good fortune. When shown bearing treasures, the imagery takes on an even stronger message of abundance, honor, and blessings. That combination of narrative symbolism and decorative spectacle makes the central scene especially characteristic of the exuberant taste of the late Ming period. Surrounding the center is a broad border filled with scrolling floral decoration. Large blossoms in iron red, cobalt blue, and pale yellow alternate around the cavetto, connected by curling green leaves and fine red tendrils. The vines loop freely between the flowers, producing a continuous sense of movement around the dish. The floral heads are painted with varying degrees of detail, some with dark blue centers, others with warm iron-red cores, while the green foliage provides a bright linking rhythm that keeps the entire border visually connected. The reverse continues the floral-scroll decoration, creating a complete decorative program rather than limiting the ornament to the front surface alone. This inside-and-out treatment is particularly effective when the dish is viewed at an angle or displayed on a stand, allowing the painted exterior to remain visible as part of the composition. The porcelain body is covered in a soft white glaze that provides a clean ground for the vivid palette. The cobalt blue is deep and assertive, the iron red warm and saturated, and the green enamel especially prominent across the scrolling foliage. Yellow accents introduce additional contrast without overwhelming the composition. The overall palette is direct, confident, and highly decorative, exactly the kind of visual impact that makes Wanli-period wucai so appealing to American collectors today. On the underside, the recessed base is glazed and centered with a six-character underglaze-blue mark reading “Da Ming Wanli Nian Zhi” within a double circle. The characters are arranged in two vertical columns of three and have the upright, slightly archaic character commonly appreciated in period-style reign marks. The foot ring is neatly finished, with light wear along the contact surface from age and handling. What gives this dish particular collecting appeal is the combination of several features in one compact object: a highly recognizable late-Ming wucai palette, a strong auspicious subject, a balanced floral border, and a clearly visible Wanli reign mark. The central qilin provides an immediate focal point, while the surrounding floral scrolls bring the eye back around the circumference of the dish. For an American audience, the result is a piece that reads at once as historic Chinese porcelain, symbolic decorative art, and a visually engaging display object. Its scale makes it especially suitable for cabinet display, while the richness of the palette and the narrative quality of the decoration allow it to hold its own among larger Ming ceramic works.

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