A BLUE AND WHITE 'BIRDS' PLAQUE, WORKSHOP OR FOLLOWER OF WANG BU (1896-1968) Opinion: The present lot is near identical to a blue and white plaque sold by Oakridge Auction Gallery in 2019. While the Oakridge plaque seems to be slightly superior in quality overall, the differences are still quite minor. The present plaque was therefore made either in Wang Bu's workshop or by a close follower. Due to the subtly graded shadings of blue and the flawless quality of the drawing, both hallmarks of Wang Bu, it seems possible that the master himself has supervised or maybe even taken part personally in the genesis of this work.

China, 20^th century. Vividly painted in well-controlled shades of cobalt blue with three birds in flight above grasses and flowers, the sky filled with thick yet soft clouds. The left side of the plaque with a seal.

Inscriptions: Lower left, one seal, 'Wang Bu'.

Provenance: British trade.
Condition: Excellent condition with minor wear and firing flaws.

Weight: 2,689 g (incl. frame)
Dimensions: Size 23.5 x 35 cm (the plaque) and 32.3 x 44 cm (the frame)

With a solid Chinese hardwood frame and brass hook. (2)

Wang Bu's father Wang Xiuqing was a blue and white porcelain painter during the reigns of Tongzhi and Guangxu of the Qing dynasty. It was common for children to follow in their father's footsteps, and at the age of 9, Wang Bu was apprenticed to Xu Yousheng, an artisan in blue and white porcelain painting at Jingdezhen. He completed his apprenticeship in 1912. After the closure of the Imperial workshops during the fall of the Qing empire, Wang Bu made a living painting bird feeders, before he was hired by the famous ceramic artist Wu Aisheng to make reproductions of Ming and Qing porcelains. This laid the foundation for his later innovation.

Wang Bu arrived at Jingdezhen in 1907, and until his death in 1968, he created numerous ceramic artworks with underglaze and overglaze enamels, paste-on-paste carving, and incised decoration. However, it was his work in underglaze blue and white decoration, that earned him, in his later years, the title of Qinghua Dawang, The King of Blue and White.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Near identical
Auction: Oakridge Auction Gallery, Virginia, USA, 6 September 2019, lot 193
Price: USD 260,000 or approx. EUR 282,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: Blue & white porcelain plaque of 3 birds, Wang Bu
Expert remark: See Opinion above. Note that the lot is attributed to Wang Bu himself.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Bonhams San Francisco, 23 June 2015, lot 7258
Price: USD 533,000 or approx. EUR 624,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A blue and white porcelain meiping with birds on branch
Expert remark: Compare the closely related painting of birds with similarly well-controlled shades of cobalt blue. Note that the lot is attributed to Wang Bu himself.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Sotheby's New York, 12 September 2018, lot 119
Price: USD 325,000 or approx. EUR 359,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: Two blue and white 'bird' seal paste boxes and covers, Republic period, by Wang Bu
Expert remark: Compare the closely related painting of birds with similarly well-controlled shades of cobalt blue. Note that the lot is attributed to Wang Bu himself.


王步(1896-1968)或其後人青花飛鳥瓷板掛屏
中國，二十世紀。青花描繪三隻小鳥展翅高飛，身下花草清新。畫意生動，色澤鮮潤發光，畫面格外活潑而自然流暢。。 專家注釋：此拍品與 Oakridge Auction Gallery 於 2019年 年出售的青花瓷板屏幾乎相同。雖然 Oakridge 的瓷板屏整體質量似乎略勝一籌，但差異仍然很小。因此，現在的瓷板可能是在王步的工作室中製作的，或是由其學生製作。青花的微妙漸變和完美無瑕的繪畫品質，都體現了王步作品的特徵，因此，大師本人似乎有可能監督甚至親自參與了這幅作品的創作。

款識：畫屏左側可見青花款“王步“
來源：英國古玩交易市場。
品相：品相極佳，輕微磨損及燒製瑕疵。

重量：總2,689 克
尺寸：23.5 x 35 厘米 (瓷板) ；總32.3 x 44 厘米
硬木框。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：幾乎相同
拍賣：Oakridge Auction Gallery，美國維吉尼亞，2019年9月6日，lot 193
價格：USD 260,000（相當於今日EUR 282,000）
描述：王步青花飛鳥瓷板掛屏
專家評論：見上述專家註釋。請注意此掛屛為王步親自製作。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：相近
拍賣：舊金山邦瀚斯，2015年6月23日，lot 7258
價格：USD 533,000（相當於今日EUR 624,000）
描述：王步青花鳥上枝頭梅瓶
專家評論：比較非常相近的鳥繪畫，以及相似的鈷藍的色調也同樣控制得很好。請注意此瓶為王步親自製作。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：相近
拍賣：紐約蘇富比，2018年9月12日，lot 119
價格：USD 325,000（相當於今日EUR 359,000）
描述：王步民國時期一對青花飛鳥印蓋盒
專家評論：比較非常相近的鳥繪畫，以及相似的鈷藍的色調也同樣控制得很好。請注意此瓶為王步親自製作。