A pair of unusual Chinese famille verte dishes with a dragon. Kangxi

These two small dishes are decorated in famille verte enamels. They feature a broad cavetto framing a shallow well. At the centre of each minyao dish, a four-clawed dragon with a sinuous body, chasing the flaming pearl, is depicted coiled within a circular medallion. Painted in green, with the ventral face enamelled in yellow and accented with iron-red highlights, the creature appears animated by dynamic movement, evolving amid stylised clouds and flames. On the rim are painted six auspicious motifs, each tied at the ribbon: the armoise leaf, the conch, the scroll, the lozenge, and the music stone. The reverse bears an apocryphal six-character Zhengde mark, enclosed within a double circle and painted in underglaze blue.

COUNTRY : China
PERIOD : Kangxi (166-1722)
MATERIAL : Porcelain
SIZE : 16 cm
REFERENCE : E725
STATUT : sold
Additonal informations :

This model is most commonly found in blue-and-white, but more rarely in famille verte enamels. Medallions of this type are also encountered on bowls dating from the Kangxi period.

An emblematic motif in Chinese iconography, the dragon pursuing the flaming pearl symbolizes benevolent power, wisdom, and cosmic harmony. The dragon, a celestial creature associated with imperial authority and the forces of nature, is depicted in a spiritual quest rather than an aggressive act. The flaming pearl represents knowledge, vital energy, and perfection. This theme is widely used in the decorative arts, particularly on imperial porcelains. It conveys the ideal of enlightened rule based on balance and self-mastery.

 

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