Imperial Ming Yongle Blue and White "Dragon and Clouds" Ever
This exquisite blue-and-white ever, adorned with a five-clawed dragon, was crafted exclusively for the Yongle Emperor (r. 1403–1424). Its refined form and masterful decoration represent the pinnacle of Ming dynasty porcelain artistry.
Exhibitions & Publications
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Exhibited: The T.Y. Chao Family Foundation Collection of Ming and Qing Porcelain, Hong Kong Museum of Art, 1978, Cat. No. 14.
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Published:
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Geng Baochang & Margaret Medley, Chinese Blue and White Porcelain, Singapore, 1978, Col. Pl. 3.
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Twenty Years of Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 1993, Pl. 52.
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Thirty Years of Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 2003, Pl. 209.
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An Imperial Masterpiece of Unrivaled Rarity
This ever is a peerless treasure, specially commissioned by the imperial kilns for the Yongle court. At first glance, it may appear as a classic early Ming imperial vessel, yet its true significance lies in its extraordinary craftsmanship and historical importance.
The ever is exquisitely painted with a five-clawed dragon soaring amidst clouds—its eyes wide, mane bristling, as if descending from the heavens before leaping into flight. The dragon’s dynamic form is enclosed within a peach-shaped reserve, yet it appears unrestrained, radiating imperial majesty. Such dragon motifs were exceedingly rare before the Xuande reign (1426–1435), becoming more common in later Ming imperial wares. This may explain why the ever’s exceptional artistic and historical value was not fully recognized in the past.
The slender, gracefully curved spout harmonizes perfectly with the arched handle, creating a balanced and elegant silhouette. Porcelain evers of this form are exceptionally rare, but comparable examples exist in gold and silver vessels from the same period. For instance, a gold ever excavated from the tomb of Prince Zhuang of Liang (Zhu Zhanji, d. 1441) bears an inscription confirming its production by imperial workshops during the Hongxi era (1425). Its size and peach-shaped panels closely resemble this blue-and-white ever.
The design likely continued into the Xuande reign, as evidenced by a gem-inlaid gold ever from the Eumorfopoulos Collection (now in the Philadelphia Museum of Art), which features a five-clawed dragon within a peach-shaped reserve—undoubtedly another imperial piece akin to this masterpiece.
Provenance: The T.Y. Chao Collection
This ever once belonged to T.Y. Chao (1912–1999), a shipping magnate and real estate tycoon renowned for his exceptional collection of Chinese art. Focusing on paintings, ceramics, and jades, he amassed a treasure trove of imperial-quality works. In the 1970s, he exhibited select pieces under the T.Y. Chao Family Foundation and Hwa Kang Museum, sharing his passion with fellow connoisseurs.
Organize and translate into English. The article images come from the Sotheby's Hong Kong webpage.
