A PAIR OF EXTREMELY RARE LIME-GREEN-ENAMELLED BOWLS Yongzheng six-character marks...

The John E. Bodie OBE (1930-2023) Collection of Chinese Art 大英帝國官佐勳章獲勳人John E. Bodie(1930-2023)中國藝術品收藏
A PAIR OF EXTREMELY RARE LIME-GREEN-ENAMELLED BOWLS
Yongzheng six-character marks and of the period
Each bowl with delicately potted rounded sides supported on a short foot, the exterior superbly covered in a lime-green enamel, the interior and base left white, the latter inscribed in underglaze blue with a six-character reign mark within a circle. 9.8cm (3 7/8in) diam. (2).
清雍正 秋葵綠釉碗一對
青花「大清雍正年製」楷書款

Provenance: Cartwright Collection
Bluett & Sons Ltd., London (labels), 11 June 1975
John E. Bodie OBE (1930-2023), London, collection no.8

Published, Illustrated and Exhibited: The Oriental Ceramic Society, The World in Monochromes, London, 16 April - 20 June 2009, nos.241a+b (labels). John E. Bodie loaned 8 pieces to this exhibition.

來源： Cartwright舊藏
倫敦古董商Bluett & Sons Ltd.（據標籤），1975年6月11日
大英帝國官佐勳章獲勳人John E. Bodie(1930-2023)，倫敦，藏品編號8

展覽： 東方陶瓷學會，《The World in Monochromes》，倫敦，2009年4月16日-6月20日，編號241a+b (據標籤)。John E. Bodie曾借展8件藏品給該展覽

The Cartwright Collection, comprising monochrome Chinese porcelain and glass, is a testament to the discerning tastes of three generations of the Cartwright family from Aynhoe Park, Northamptonshire. Initiated by William Cornwallis Cartwright, M. P. (1825-1915), who acquired select ceramics and glass primarily from Bluetts between 1910 and 1913, the collection expanded under the stewardship of his son, Sir Fairfax Leighton Cartwright, GCMG, GCVO (1857-1928). Concurrently, Richard Fairfax William Cartwright (1903-1954), grandson of William, embarked on his own acquisitions starting in 1933, amassing a collection of around 400 monochrome porcelains by his untimely death in 1954. These treasures adorned a specially curated room at Aynhoe Park, hailed in the post-World War II guidebook as 'one of the glories of Aynhoe.' Following the sale of Aynhoe Park circa 1960, Roger Bluett facilitated the relocation of the collection to the Cartwright family's manor house near Bath in the mid-1970s, which belonged to R.F.W. Cartwright's daughter. This transition likely prompted the sale of a select few duplicates through Bluetts, initially showcased at the Antique Dealers' Fair held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in June 1975.

Superbly potted and enamelled, the present bowls exemplify the Yongzheng Emperor's appreciation for understated yet superbly executed pieces of the highest calibre.

Bowls displaying hemispherical shapes and decorated with monochrome enamels appear to be innovations of the Yongzheng period, likely influenced by the visionary work of Tang Ying (1682-1756). In his tenure as superintendent of the Imperial kilns, Ying was renowned for creating tactically engaging and pioneering porcelain wares. Achieving perfection in every stage of production was imperative due to the exacting precision required.

Lime-green enamel was a rarity during the Yongzheng period and monochrome vessels decorated in this colour, with their seemingly straightforward design and single palette, actually represent some of the most technically demanding porcelains that were ever created. Despite the abundant availability of lead-antimonate in China, the addition of copper to lead-antimonate to create the lime-green enamel, as seen on the present bowls, was not used until Jesuit missionaries directly influenced the production of arts and crafts. The attractive green colour was notable not only for its scarcity but also for the remarkable evenness of its application. Achieving a good level of consistency would have necessitated a second firing at a lower temperature, a challenging process to execute satisfactorily, as demonstrated by the current bowls.

Compare with three similar green-enamelled bowls, Yongzheng marks and period, in the British Museum, London, the first illustrated by M.Medley, Illustrated Catalogue of Ming and Ch'ing Monochrome in the Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art, London, 1973, cat.no.B526; the other two bowls illustrated by R.Scott, Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art, London, 1989, pl.97. A further pair is illustrated in Shimmering Colours. Monochromes of the Yuan to Qing Period: The Zhuyuetang Collection, Hong Kong, 2005, cat.no.113.

Compare with a nearly-identical lime-green-enamelled bowl, Yongzheng mark and period, which was sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 7 October 2019, lot 3116. Another related lime-green-enamelled bowl, Yongzheng mark and period, was also sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 7 October 2019, lot 3105.