Chinese Export Rose Mandarin Dish of Dragons chasing the Flaming Pearl

Chinese Export Famille Rose Porcelain Dish Dragons Chasing The Flaming Pearl,

Circa 1820-40.

(Ref: ny7907-nkrr)

The Chinese Export porcelain is painted with famille rose coloured dragons chasing the flaming pearl.  This is a rare design.  I have only seen a few other pieces- the bowl at Winterthur which was sold by us to Dr. Nadler and a similar dish sold by us to Chipstone.  This was most likely a special order made once.

Dimensions: 11 1/2 inches wide (29.2 cm) x 8 3/8 height.

See: China to Order, Daniel Nadler, Page 130 #131 &132 for a large bowl with the same design now at Winterthur Reference: Chasing the Flaming Pearl: Discovering the Dragon in Chinese Textiles, An Exhibition, March 03, 2011 - July 17, 2011,

Honolulu Museum of Art.

In Asia, the dragon is revered as a divine mythical creature, a potent symbol of strength, good fortune and transformation-often portrayed chasing after a luminous pearl. There are traces of the importance of the sacred pearl" of wisdom, or yang energy, in early Taoism, but it is best preserved in Buddhism as the jewel in the lotus, a jewel that grants all wishes. The mystical flaming pearl, rendered as a small red or white sphere ringed by a fiery blaze, is often viewed as a metaphor for wisdom, enlightenment, and spiritual essence. Dragons are depicted in seeming pursuit, reaching out to clutch at the elusive object; swirling through mists and shadows, mouth open and eyes bulging in anticipation of achieving the prize afforded by clutching the pearl, often identified as ball lightning, the sun, the moon or rolling thunder."

This object is eligible for a Certificate of BADA Provenance

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