Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368)
The lotus-form bowl has a six-lobed undulating rim and is supported on a spreading foot. The centre is applied with a moulded turtle encircled by radiating double lines imitating lotus leaves. The outside is well carved with scrolling leaves with combed details. The foot is encircled by two deep lines.
The stembowl is covered with a sea-green glaze darkening in the recessed areas.
Height 7.6 cm; Diameter 11.2 cm
Provenance: The van Dalen Collection of Chinese Art, Christie's London 30-10-2019 Lot 22
A similar Longquan bowl, but without stem, is in the Asin Art Museum in San Francusco and illustrated by He Li, Chinese Ceramics, The New Standard Guide, Asian Art Museumof San Francisco, London 1996, No 353
The turtle or tortoise, gui 龜, belongs to the four sacred animals, the others being the qilin, dragon, and phoenix. It is a symbol of longevity, strength, and endurance. The turtle also symbolises the universe, the upper shell being the vault of heaven, the lower shell representing the earth. In ancient times the design on the shell was used by fortune tellers in divination.
EF 61 元 龜游荷葉葵式高足碗
時代：元朝，1279至1368年。
特徵：六瓣葵花形，侈口高足，體覆海綠色釉。碗內有一隻烏龜伏於葉心，雙線刻紋模仿葉脈，外壁刻滾葉紋。
尺寸：高7.6公分；直徑11.2公分。
來源：Van Dalen中國藝術收藏。倫敦佳士得2019年10月30日，拍品編號22。
