China. The plaque of rectangular form, painted in bright enamels and iron red to depict Zhong Kui looking in the mirror at his ugly countenance, a pottery vessel and bamboo laying on the ground, with a bat flying above.

Inscriptions: Upper left, signed ‘Xichang Wang Qi, painted in Zhushan’, inscribed ‘I am ugly in my life and have no shame in my heart, why should I be scared to look wild in the mirror’, dated ‘In the autumn of the Year of Xinwei’ (corresponding to 1931), and inscribed ‘painted in the style of Wang Shen’. Two seals, ‘Xichang Wang Qi’, and ‘Taomi’.

Provenance: From a private collection in New York, USA, acquired on 30 July 1997 by the previous owners ‘Margaret and Donald’ on the way to boarding the ‘Yangtze Paradise’ for a cruise from Wuhan to Chongqing. The inscription on the back confirms the provenance information and describes the plaque as depicting a ‘Chinaman who failed his states exam because of his ugliness, so he kills himself after looking in the mirror and becomes one of the guards to fight off evil spirits’.
Condition: Very good condition with minor wear. The frame with expected age cracks, few small nicks, and light scratches.

Dimensions: Image size 36 x 25.5 cm, Size incl. mounting 50 x 37.4 cm

In a wooden frame with metal mount, most likely original to the artwork. (2)

Wang Qi (1884-1937) 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 in China. Porcelain artists, released from imperial restraints, developed their own styles based on 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 with just emulating, over the years Wang more and more developed his own distinct style by incrementally incorporating Western painting and enameling techniques in his work.

According to folklore, Zhong Kui took part in the state-wide imperial examinations held in the capital city. Though Zhong Kui attained great academic success and top honors in the state exams, his rightful title of ‘Zhuangyuan’ (top-scorer) was stripped from him by the emperor because of his disfigured and ugly appearance. In anger and fury, Zhong Kui committed suicide by hurling himself against the palace gates until his head was broken, whereupon Du Ping, his friend, had him laid to rest. During the divine judgment after his death from suicide, Yanluo Wang (the Chinese Underworld Judge) saw much potential in Zhong Kui, intelligent and smart enough to score top honors in the imperial examinations but condemned to the capital of hell because of the strong grievance. Yama thus gave him the title of the king of ghosts and tasked him to hunt, capture, take charge of and maintain discipline and order among all ghosts.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Bonhams London, 8 November 2012, lot 345
Price: GBP 8,750 or approx. EUR 15,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: An enameled rectangular plaque, cyclically dated Xinwei year (AD 1931), signed and sealed Wang Qi
Expert remark: Compare the similar form, material and figural motif. Note the similar size (38.4 x 25.2 cm).

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Bonhams Sydney, 27 May 2012, lot 45
Price: AUD 15,600 or approx. EUR 14,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A framed enameled rectangular plaque of a monk enjoying a bucket of wine, attributed to Wang Qi (1884 - 1937), Republic period
Expert remark: Compare the similar form, material and figural motif. Note the similar size (38.3 x 25 cm).

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Bonhams Sydney, 27 May 2012, lot 44
Price: AUD 14,400 or approx. EUR 12,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A framed enameled rectangular plaque of Bodhidharma crossing the Yangtze River, attributed to Wang Qi (1884 - 1937), Republic period
Expert remark: Compare the similar form, material and figural motif. Note the similar size (37 x 24 cm).



王琦粉彩《鍾馗》瓷板畫
中國，長方瓷板，畫面裏鍾馗照鏡，臉部明暗關係清晰，筆法細膩，衣衫以玻璃白為底色，再罩以淡藍色。線條簡略流暢，準確凝練，以乾筆皺藍袍層次變化微妙，一隻紅色蝙蝠在空中飛舞。

款識：平生貌醜心無愧，何懼猙獰對鏡看，龍集辛未初秋上浣，仿黃慎之筆意。西昌匋迷散人王琦寫於珠山客次；鈴印：西昌王琦，匋迷。

來源：美國紐約私人收藏，購於1997年7月30日；之前的所有者 Margaret 與 Donald搭乘武漢至重慶遊輪“長江天堂”號途中。背面的款識證實了出處資訊，並將瓷板描述為“一個中國人因醜陋而未能通過考試，因此他在照鏡子後自殺，並成為一名與惡魔搏鬥的衛士”。
品相：狀況極好，有輕微磨損。框架有預期的老化裂紋、少量小劃痕和輕微劃痕。

尺寸：畫面36 x 25.5 釐米，總 50 x 37.4 釐米

木框，很可能是原件。(2)

拍賣結果比較：
形制：相近
拍賣：倫敦邦瀚斯，2012年11月8日，lot 345
價格：GBP 8,750（相當於今日EUR 15,000）
描述：民國粉彩人物圖瓷板「王琦」款
專家評論：比較相似的的外形，材質和人物主題。請注意相似的尺寸(38.4 x 25.2 釐米)。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：相近
拍賣：雪梨邦瀚斯，2012年5月27日，lot 45
價格：AUD 15,600（相當於今日EUR 14,000）
描述：民國粉彩人物圖瓷板「王琦」款
專家評論：比較相似的的外形，材質和人物主題。請注意相似的尺寸(38.3 x 25 厘米)。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：相近
拍賣：雪梨邦瀚斯，2012年5月27日，lot 44
價格：AUD 14,400（相當於今日EUR 12,500）
描述：A framed enameled rectangular plaque of Bodhidharma crossing the Yangtze River，attributed to Wang Qi (1884 - 1937)，Republic period民國粉彩《一葦渡江》，「王琦」款
專家評論：比較相似的的外形，材質和人物主題。請注意相似的尺寸(37 x 24 厘米)。