A blue and white 'lotus bouquet' dish, Qing dynasty, 18th century.

From the Collection of Klas E Böök (1909-1980), thence by descent. A Swedish diplomat and civil servant. Mr Böök first had a career within banking, that led up to the position of Governor of the Swedish National Bank from 1948 to 1951. His diplomatic career began when he was appointed head of the Commercial Department of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and envoy from 1947 to 1948. He was minister in Ottawa from 1951 to 1956, ambassador in Beijing from 1956 to 1961, also accredited as envoy to Bangkok from 1956 to 1959. Böök was ambassador in New Delhi, also accredited to Colombo and Kathmandu from 1961 to 1965 and in Bern from 1965 to 1972. He had special assignments for the Foreign Ministry from 1972 to 1975.

To see other lots sold from the Collection of Klas E. Böök, see a Zitan Altartable with cloisonne placques, Bukowskis, Sale 649, lot no 981.

Inspired by the celebrated wares of the early Ming dynasty, dishes painted with this lotus bouquet motif were revived under the Yongzheng Emperor, who was keen to see historical masterpieces replicated as a reminder of the nation’s glorious past. Antiques from the Palace collection were sent to the Imperial kilns in Jingdezhen, where craftsmen were instructed to use them as standards for quality, models for designs and as inspiration for innovation.
See a Yongzheng example in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Geng Baochang ed., Gugong bowuyuan cang Ming chu qinghua ci [Early Ming blue and white porcelain in the Palace Museum], Beijing, 2002, vol. 2, pl. 195. Five Yongle prototypes of this lotus bouquet design, in the Ardabil Shrine in Iran, are illustrated in John Alexander Pope, Chinese Porcelains from the Ardebil Shrine, Washington, D.C., 1956, pls 30 and 31.