Lot 183
BLUE AND WHITE 'EIGHT IMMORTALS' BOWL
RONG YIN TANG ZHI MARK, QIANLONG PERIOD
Fine Asian & Islamic Works of Art
Auction: 15 May 2019 at 17:00 BST
Description
the deep rounded sides rising from a short straight foot to a slightly flared rim, painted around the exterior with the Eight Immortals, each holding their respective attribute and standing amidst scrolling clouds, the interior with a medallion enclosing the Three Star Gods conversing beneath a pine tree, the base inscribed with a four-character mark within double squares
Dimensions
15cm diameter
Footnote
Provenance:
From the Collection of Major General Sir Basil A. Hill KBE, CB, DSO, JP (1880-1960).
Major General Sir Basil Alexander Hill was commissioned into the Royal Marine Artillery in September 1897, transferring to the Royal Army Ordnance Corps in 1908. He had a distinguished career in the First World War, seeing action in the siege of Qingdao in 1914, in Gallipoli and the Egyptian Expeditionary Force. He was mentioned in dispatches three times and awarded the DSO in 1919. He retired from regular service in 1941. On the formation of the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers in 1942 Sir Basil was appointed the first Colonel Commandant, holding that appointment until 1947.
Besides being an avid art collector, Sir Basil was a passionate rugby football player, having played for England in nine International matches. In 1946, he presented the Hill Cup, awarded annually to the winner of the REME Rugby Union competition in the United Kingdom.
Note:
Rong Yin Tang, the Hall in the Shade of the Banyan, was part of the administrative office of Li Ba, famous scholar and Magistrate of Fu Ning during the Qianlong period.
For a similar blue and white bowl, but with a Qianlong seal mark, see Sotheby's sale in their London rooms on 11.11.2015, lot 47, sale L15211.