Chinese bowl with 12 figures.

Stan · Dec 16, 2015, 02:52:23

Hi Peter, here is a very interesting bowl that I won at an auction, the hight is 8.89 cm and the width is 16.25 cm, the auctioneer said it is Qing period with an Qianlong mark, it is heavily potted for a bowl of late Qing or early republic and the white ground is like a grayish white, not like the blueish white that I am used to seeing, I really had a hard time getting these photo's colors to come out right, so in photo 8 that is the true white color and the blue color, I could not get it to come out right it is close but there is not any purple color on the bowl it is blue blue, with no purple this was the best I could do under artificial light. please let me know what you thing, thanks.

Stan · Dec 16, 2015, 02:55:15

Here are more photo's.

calder · Dec 16, 2015, 04:10:18

Hi Stan lovely bowl.
Forgive me but is it not a Daoguang mark?

Stan · Dec 16, 2015, 04:16:34

Hi Calder, you are right, it is a Daonguang mark, I was reading the auctioneer description when I posted, thank you for the correction, and the your comment.

peterp · Dec 16, 2015, 08:43:18

That much as to the reliability of auctioneers in view to Chinese ceramics... :-)
I do not know anything regarding the number 12, when people are involved. Usually eight (the immortals) is the most.
I would think this is is M&P Daoguang. I was going to say it could be guanyao, but not sure because the foot rim is flattened. With imperial wares there would usually be a worm back.
The mark alignment in relation to the decoration is also important in such a case. Unlike minyao wares guanyao marks are aligned in a certain way with the decoration.

Stan · Dec 16, 2015, 09:37:50

Thanks Peter, for the information, the bottom foot is flat and it has been shaved on the outside and inside of the foot rim like a worm back but then fattened, looking at the marks position it faces a warrior with a sword holding a flower and the backside of the mark is man holding what looks like a scepter and the sides of the mark are pointing at two women one on one side of the mark and one on the other, the one is holding a stick with feathers on the end and in the other hand she is holding flowers and the other women is holding flowers, is that what you mean by alignment? could the mark be facing an emperor and on the side and empress?

peterp · Dec 16, 2015, 09:56:43

No, that is not what I meant. The alignment is there whether there are people or not. Sometimes it centers on empty space between design objects. If you have 12 people then it is more likely it is centered between people, but it could also be aligned with some special object.

Stan · Dec 20, 2015, 02:37:48

I inspected the bowl more thoroughly after you mentioned the alignment of the mark, and I noticed that one of the figures that is carrying a Ruyi Scepter, is positioned on the bowl higher than all the other figures, I don't know it that means anything but I'm sure it would be an Emperor.

Stan · Dec 20, 2015, 03:01:27

Here is a couple of photo's showing the positioning of the figures, I think could be the Emperor and Empress, I wonder if these figures could have been in the Emperor's court?

peterp · Dec 20, 2015, 07:41:58

No Stan, I think this is somewhat related to Daoism or religion. Why not upload a picture showing both the top of the mark and the figural alignment on the side at the same time?

Stan · Dec 20, 2015, 11:37:22

Here are four more photo's showing the the four sides of the mark facing the figures, thanks for viewing.

peterp · Dec 20, 2015, 15:27:33

Seems to be centered on the man in warrior attire. I cannot tell if this is a deity or not. There are several possibilities.