Bowl, porcelain painted in coloured enamels, China (Jingdezhen), Qing dynasty, Daoguang period (1821-1850)

The decoration on this bowl is well thought out and finely executed. On the blue sea are two log boats formed of hollowed trees, each with two fairy maiden passengers. The boat on the left shows one of the maidens seated under a canopy draped with lotuses, carrying a flower basket and turning her head to look at her companion, who is poling at the rear. A white crane is in the front. The boat on the right is similarly composed, except that the seated maiden carries a lidded vase, and the crane is replaced by a fox-like animal. The fairy maidens are gift-bearers to Xiwangmu (Queen Mother of the West) who is hosting a birthday feast in her palace in the Kunlun Mountains. This heavenly place is suggested by the top of pavilions amongst clouds and flying cranes painted on the other side of the bowl. The mark Xiezhu Zhuren zao (made by the Master of Wind Music) in seal script within a square is written in overglaze red on the base.

According to legend the Yellow Emperor ordered his minister Ling Lun to make musical instruments with bamboo from the Xie Valley, and gradually the term 'xie bamboo' was used to refer to wind instruments such as the flute and the pipe. Judging from the number of extant porcelains with this mark it is most unlikely that all the vessels were commissioned by one single person, thus Xiezhu Zhuren was probably the name of a private kiln. Most of its products are overglaze-decorated, and the mark is always written in overglaze iron red enamel, in seal script within a square.

A variant of this mark is the Xiezhu zao mark (without the word 'master'), which is rarer.

Purchased from Lady Alcock, accessioned in 1872. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project.

This bowl is finely painted with a scene of fairy maidens sailing in log boats that have a canopy draped with lotuses. The fairy maidens are bringing gifts to Xiwangmu (Queen Mother of the West), who is hosting a birthday feast in her palace in the Kunlun Mountains. The heavenly palace is suggested by the tops of pavilions seen among clouds and flying cranes painted on the other side of the bowl.

437&A-1872