The Happiness of Fish
This is a recent work made using a piece of fig wood from Howe Street in Victoria. It combines woodturning and hand carving techniques. There are eight carved carp coloured with an acrylic medium mixed with mica powders. The bowl is 265 mm in diameter and 215 mm high.
The form is based upon a magnificent wucai jar from the Ming imperial potteries at Jingdezhen in 1522 to 1566. One of the six known jars of this type recently sold for over $34 million at Christie’s 2017 auction.
This version bears an honorific six character mark similar to the Ming original.