A small reticulated turquoise porcelain bowl covered with a turquoise glaze.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION :

This bowl has a reticulated wall and rests on a short foot. Its base also presents openwork in the form of a Chinese coin. The pierced decoration forms foliage with unincised stems, ornamenting the bowl in slight relief. The object also presents a pierced shou character, a symbol of longevity.

The term línglóng, sometimes translated into English as ‘devil’s work’, strictly refers to a decoration obtained by making small perforations in the unfired porcelain body, which are then filled with transparent glaze.

This term is commonly used for reticulated or double-walled porcelain. The publication Linglong, published by Jorge Welsh in 2004, contributed to establishing a broader meaning of this term. The catalogue thus brings together under the designation linglong different forms of pierced decoration. These pierced pieces were described as ‘devil’s work’ , or ‘travail du diable’ , since their form does not allow them to contain liquid.

The other interpretation of this designation would be the patience and time required by the craftsman to achieve work of such extreme delicacy.

PROVENANCE :

– Private French Collection

SOLD