China, around 1930. Painted in polychrome enamels to depict Xianglong Luohan subduing the Dragon King into his alms bowl with his raised finger. The Dragon King emerges from a finely drawn cloud, which represents his heavenly palace. Piles of books and a large jar are found behind the Luohan.

Inscriptions: Signature: ‘Xichang Wang Qi’ (upper left). Two seals: ‘Qi’ and ‘Taomi’. Inscribed: ‘Written in Zhushan’ and with a poem.

Provenance: From a noted Swiss private collection.
Condition: Excellent condition with only minor wear and minimal firing irregularities.

Weight: 2,731 g (incl. frame)
Dimensions: Size 42 x 29 cm (incl. frame) and 37 x 24.5 cm (the plaque)

With a matching hardwood frame and cast metal suspension. (2)

Xianglong Luohan, also known as the Taming Dragon Luohan, is one of the Eighteen Luohan (or Arhats) in China. His Sanskrit name is Nantimitolo and his origins are said to derive from a Buddhist monk named Mahakasyapa. The legendary Chan Buddhist monk Ji Gong was widely recognized by people as the incarnate of the Xianglong Luohan.

According to legend, the people of a kingdom in ancient India, after being incited by a demon, went on a rampage against Buddhists and monasteries, stealing the Buddhist scriptures. The Dragon King flooded the kingdom and rescued the scriptures, which he put in his heavenly Dragon Palace. After the Dragon King was tamed by Nantimitolo, who was a disciple of Gautama Buddha, the scriptures were retrieved back to earth. Hence he is called the Taming Dragon Luohan.

Wang Qi was the most outstanding porcelain painter of his day. After the fall of the Qing dynasty, imperial orders for porcelain dwindled at Jingdezhen, the main porcelain production center of China. Porcelain artists, released from imperial restraints, developed their own styles based upon famous scroll painters of earlier periods. Eight of the leading artists formed a group, which despite calling themselves ‘The Full Moon Society’ came to be known as the ‘Eight Friends of Zushan’. The development of Wang Qi’s mature style can be traced to a trip he made to Shanghai in 1916 to see an exhibition of works by a group of painters called Yangzhou Baguai (the Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou). Wang was so impressed by the paintings of Huang Shen, one of the Eight Eccentrics, that he started to emulate Huang’s style. But not satisfied to just emulate, over the years Wang more and more developed his own distinct style by incrementally incorporating Western painting and enameling techniques in his work.

Auction result comparison: Compare a closely related plaque, depicting the same subject, at Bonhams London in Fine Chinese Art on 8 November 2012, lot 346, sold for GBP 32,450.

王琦(1884-1937)《羅漢降龍》瓷板挂屏
中國，約1930年。粉彩描繪降龍羅漢，人物頭部刻畫細膩，神情捕捉準確，光影富於變化。羅漢舉起右手，手指欲將龍王降服於缽中。 龍王出現在一朵黑色雲彩中。羅漢身後靠著一摞書和一個大罐子。

落款：西昌王琦寫於珠山
鈴印：琦，陶迷

來源：瑞士知名私人收藏。
品相：品相極好，僅有輕微的磨損和燒製。

重量：2,731 克 (含框)
尺寸：42 x 29 厘米 (含框)，37 x 24.5 厘米 (瓷板)

硬木框，金屬挂鈎。 (2)

拍賣結果比較：一件相近瓷板，同一主題, 于倫敦邦翰思 Fine Chinese Art 2012年11月8日 lot 346, 售價GBP 32,450。