A pair of fine Chinese porcelain yellow-ground famille rose 'medallion' bowls, Shendetang Zhi, Daoguang period, circa 1831-1850, each painted with four medallions enclosing flowering peony blossoms amongst rockwork and lingzhi, interspersed with...

A pair of fine Chinese porcelain yellow-ground famille rose 'medallion' bowls, Shendetang Zhi, Daoguang period, circa 1831-1850, each painted with four medallions enclosing flowering peony blossoms amongst rockwork and lingzhi, interspersed with auspicious emblems and lotus flowers, all on a yellow ground, four-character iron-red Shendetang Zhi marks to bases, 11.4cm wide (2) Provenance: Collection of Robert C. Bruce (1898-1953), and thence by descent. c.f. A similar bowl was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 30th November 2016, lot 3330. Note: The Shendetang ('Hall of Prudent Virtue') was a residence within the Yuanmingyuan commissioned by the Daoguang Emperor, completed in 1831. Daoguang pieces bearing the Shendetang Zhi mark are therefore attributable to the two decades between 1831 and 1850. The auspicious emblems decorating these bowls are the Eight Daoist Emblems, each of which represents the attributes of their respective Daoist Immortal. The peony is a symbol of prosperity, and the lingzhi fungus represents longevity.
品相報告 Condition Report: One of the bowls with three old hairlines, between 1cm-3cm in length, and one further fine hairline, all emanating from the rim, with some light surface wear to the exterior - notably in the form of some small scratches near the top of the foot. The second bowl bears a small chip to the rim with an associated fine hairline, approx. 3.5cm in length, with similar surface wear to the first bowl, with a possible small area of touching-up to the enamels near the rim.