A FAMILLE ROSE 'HUNDRED BOYS' BOWL
Jiaqing iron-red seal mark and of the period
Finely enamelled around the exterior of the deep U-shaped bowl with a continuous scene of boys at play, dressed in brightly coloured clothes and variously singing, dancing and lighting fire-crackers, all within a rocky garden landscape with pavilion, stream and bridge. 11.6cm (4 1/2in) diam.
Footnotes:
清嘉慶 粉彩百子圖碗
礬紅「大清嘉慶年製」篆書款

Provenance: a Japanese private collection
Sotheby's London, 9 November 2016, lot 171
John E. Bodie OBE (1930-2023), London, collection no.114

來源： 日本私人收藏
倫敦蘇富比，2016年11月9日，拍品編號171
大英帝國官佐勳章獲勳人John E. Bodie(1930-2023)，倫敦，收藏編號114

The present lot is remarkable for its vibrant and intricate portrayal of boys immersed in various games. The theme of 'hundred boys at play' was widely embraced in the decorative arts of the Ming and Qing dynasties. It originates from King Wen of the Zhou dynasty, who according to legend had ninety-nine sons and adopted one more to reach one hundred. The boys depicted engage in activities rich with symbolism: for instance, the first character of 'lantern' is a homophone for 'bumper harvest' (fengdeng), symbolising peace, while boys carrying peaches and playing with bats represent longevity.

A related famille rose bowl, Jiaqing mark and period is illustrated in Ch'ing Dynasty Porcelain in the National Palace Museum, vol.II, Tokyo, 1981, pl.101.

See a very similar famille rose 'hundred boys' bowl, Jiaqing seal mark and of the period, which was sold at Sotheby's New York, 21 September 2022, lot 389.

C-section restored approx 12.5cm x 3.5cm; minute nicks and very light rubbing of the enamels.