T39 A very rare “Penglai” kraak plate, Wanli, Ming Dynasty

Description

Description:   Chinese porcelain plate bearing a decoration of the highest quality. The central scene is magnificent, with a Scholar and his attendant at the foreground, facing a grandiose mountainous landscape with waters, pagodas, pavilions, and sampans. The scene may refer to Penglai, the paradisiac land of Chinese mythology, and is very finely painted with nice tones of blue. We have found this exact scenery on other plates, all them of this same quality, thus probably belonging from the same kiln and hand. In particular, one is very well described by Teresa Canepa at pages 78-81 of “Jingdezhen to the World – The Lurie collection of Chinese export porcelain from the late Ming dynasty”. It is the only item which description takes four pages of that superb book.  That plate too, like our one, is bearing the rare egret mark at the base. All the plates with this mark are of the highest quality and very rare. More or less 100 plates with the egret mark are known. Among them, only three or four are decorated with this same scene.  All them have a typical kraak paneled border decoration, except this one, which has an alternating motif on the rim and a motif of flowers, insects and a frog at the cavetto. Hence, at the date this is the only known dish bearing the egret mark, the “Penglai” scene of the highest quality, and this particular decoration at the border, which put together makes it exceptionally rare. At the date, unique unless a further example will be found. The plate has a thin uniform potting, as shown by its transparency, see the last picture where it is lighted at the back.

Dating:  17^th century, Wanli, Ming dynasty.

Size:  19.8 cm diameter

Provenance:  Antiquarian market

References:  See Teresa Canepa, “Jingdezhen to the World – The Lurie collection of Chinese export porcelain from the late Ming dynasty”, pages 78-81, for a dish with the same Penglai scene but different border.

Notes:  Dishes with the egret mark, which is exclusive to kraak ware, are very rare. In the 1989 edition of her “Kraak porcelain – A moment in the history of trade”, Maura Rinaldi say that she has been able to locate only 45 pieces. Today, there are about 100 known examples.

In Chinese mythology, the Immortals are said to live on a group of five islands in the Bohai Sea, which includes Mount Penglai. From Wikipedia: “In a legend originating in the state of Qi during the pre-Qin period, immortals live in a palace called the Penglai Palace which is located on Mount Penglai.[3] In Chinese mythology the mountain is often said to be the base for the Eight Immortals (or at least where they travel to have a ceremonial meal), as well as the illusionist Anqi Sheng. Supposedly, everything on the mountain appears pure white, while its palaces are made from gold and silver, and jewels grow on trees. There is no agony and no winter; there are rice bowls and wine glasses that never become empty no matter how much people eat or drink from them; and there are enchanted fruits growing in Penglai that can heal any ailment, grant eternal youth, and even resurrect the dead.”