A BLUE AND WHITE 'LOTUS' DISH MING DYNASTY, YONGLE PERIOD

the deep rounded sides resting on a low tapering foot, finely painted to the interior with a stylised lotus scroll bearing six blossoming lotus flowers within triple circles, the cavetto with a naturalistically painted lotus scroll below a 'classic' scroll at the rim, the exterior painted with a continuous band of chrysanthemum scroll between a 'classic' scroll at the foot and a key-fret border at the rim, the base left unglazed

Collection of L.A. Basmadjieff.
Sotheby's London, 14th March 1972, lot 130.
Messrs John Sparks, London.

Regina Krahl, Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, London, 1994-2010, vol. 2, no. 662.

Apart from minor expected wear to the interior and exterior, and a minute glaze flake to the rim, the overall condition is very good.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

While the plants on porcelain of the Ming dynasty are generally naturalistically rendered, with matching blooms and leaves, the lotus appears in two different manifestations, one naturalistic, as around the inner sides of the present dish, and one stylised, with fanciful curled leaves as in the centre of the piece. This latter, idealized rendering is also seen on early Ming Buddhist sculptures and depicts the lotus as a symbol of purity.

Dishes of this pattern are known both with and without Xuande reign marks, a fact that may point either to different dates, Yongle and Xuande – or different destinations – foreign courts or the Chinese imperial house.

Two unmarked dishes of this design from the Ardabil Shrine in Iran are recorded in John Alexander Pope, Chinese Porcelains from the Ardebil Shrine, Washington, D.C., 1956, no. 29.118-19, pl. 36 bottom right; two others are published in Helen D. Ling and E.T. Chow, Complete Collection of Ming Dynasty Kingtehchen Porcelain from the Hall of Disciplined Learning, Hong Kong, 1950, vol. I, pl. 28; one in the Beijing Art Museum is published in Zhongguo taoci quanji [Complete series on Chinese ceramics], Shanghai, 1999-2000, vol. 12, pl. 79. A companion dish, also from the Basmadjieff collection was sold together with the present piece in our London rooms, 14th March 1972, lot 129; one from the Scheinman collection, included in the exhibition Born of Earth and Fire, Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore, 1992, cat. no. 79, was sold in our London rooms, 2nd December 1997, lot 203. A dish of this design with a Xuande reign mark is in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, illustrated in Sir Harry Garner, Oriental Blue and White, London, 1954, pl. 16.