A rare and large blue and white 'lotus and bat' dish, Seal mark and period of Daoguang

Washington, D.C. Private Collection.

Large Daoguang blue and white dishes of this form and design are extremely rare. While the Daoguang court consciously paid homage to earlier imperial traditions, particularly those of the Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong reigns, it also sought to reinterpret established models through subtle adjustments. The present dish exemplifies this balance between reverence for the past and creative adaptation, combining a classical format with a distinctly contemporary sensibility. Its ambitious scale and refined painting quality further distinguishes it within the context of Daoguang blue and white production, a period otherwise marked by a preference for more conservative approaches. For another example of this type, see a dish offered at Christie’s Hong Kong, 8th October 1990, lot 580.