Vibrant Prosperity: A Famille Verte 'Flower Basket' Dish from the Kangxi Golden Age

This magnificent Chinese Export porcelain dish, dating to the height of the Kangxi Period (c. 1700-1710), is a resplendent example of the famed famille verte (green family) palette. This enameling technique, characterized by its brilliant, translucent greens, yellows, and blues, reached its zenith under the patronage of the Kangxi Emperor, ushering in a golden age of ceramic production at the imperial kilns in Jingdezhen (Guest and Gray).

Auspicious Symbolism and Design Mastery

The dish is a feast of intricate design and rich symbolism, centered on an openwork beribboned basket of peony and lotus flowers. The flower basket motif is highly auspicious in Chinese art, being one of the attributes of the Daoist Immortal Lan Caihe, and symbolizes longevity and good fortune (Sotheby's, Lot 657, 2015). This meaning is powerfully reinforced by the inclusion of a central shou character (寿) in the basket, the Chinese ideograph for Longevity, a core wish in Chinese culture for a long, healthy, and prosperous life (Metropolitan Museum of Art). The presence of the shou character, often incorporated into designs for Imperial birthday celebrations during this era, underscores the dish's grand and celebratory intent.

The radial design radiates outward with petal-shaped reserves in the cavetto, each containing detailed flowering plants issuing from rockwork, all set against a signature pale-green stippled ground (Dizi). The border completes the composition with an ornate pattern of green trellis-work punctuated by iron-red flower heads, alternating with oval panels containing various Precious Objects (Ba Gu), further emphasizing wealth and good fortune.

This large dish, at over 14 inches in diameter, was one of the exquisite items commissioned for the European export market, particularly by the Dutch East India Company (VOC), where its vibrant colors and complex iconography were highly prized by wealthy clientele (Guest and Gray). The reverse, painted in underglaze blue with delicate floral sprays, maintains a link to the more traditional Chinese aesthetic. This piece is a tangible embodiment of the technical sophistication and artistic brilliance that made Kangxi famille verte porcelain the most desirable ceramic of its time in both East and West.

(References)

Famille Verte Production: Guest, C. & Gray, J. (n.d.). Chinese Kangxi Famille Verte Porcelain. Chinese Porcelain Art. (Discusses the peak production during Kangxi and the technical characteristics of the enamels).

Symbolism & Motif: Sotheby's. (2015). A Famille-Verte 'Flower Basket' Dish, Qing Dynasty, Kangxi Period (Lot 657). (Notes the central motif as the Flower Basket attribute).

Longevity Motifs: The Metropolitan Museum of Art. (2010). Longevity in Chinese Art. (Explains the significance of the shou character and other associated symbols like the flower basket in Chinese decorative arts).


(Dimensions: 14 1/4 inches x 1 1/2 inches deep)

(Ref: NY10154-inrr)


Condition:
Alterations: Original Condition Unaltered
Imperfections: Some Imperfections
Condition Notes: chip on reverse at 6 o'clock not visible from front- see last photo

Origin:
China

Materials & Techniques:
Porcelain

International: No International Shipping for this auction.
Combined shipping: Please ask about combined shipping for multiple lots before bidding.

Original Condition Unaltered; Some Imperfections; chip on reverse at 6 o'clock not visible from front- see last photo