Sold Ceramics - Sold Famille Rose wares 1725-1800 - Tea, Coffee and Chocolate wares - Page 1

Object 2010629

Coffee cup

China

1730-1740

Height 64 mm (2.52 inch), diameter of rim 55 mm (2.17 inch), diameter of footring 30 mm (1.18 inch)

Coffee cup with handle on footring. Decorated in various famille rose enamels with two ladies standing in a fenced garden with threes, plants and taihu (garden) rocks, observing a man jumping over a wall. On the rim a trellis pattern border with four reserves filled with flower heads.

Romance of the Western Chamber

The love story' Romance of the Western Chamber' (Xixiang ji) ranks among the most famous literary works of China. Its importance for young people can be compared to that of Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet' in the West. 'Romance of the Western Chamber' was written by Wang Shifu (1260-1336). There already existed a short story in the Tang dynasty titled 'Biography of Yingying' (Yingying Zhuan) by Yuan Zhen (779-831), but Wang Shifu adapted it by adding details and giving it a happy rather than a sad ending. It tells the story of a forbidden love affair between the civil servant Zhang Sheng, who is gifted, but of a poor family background, and the pretty Cui Yingying, daughter of the Prime Minister. The two young people have their first encounter in a Buddhist temple, where Yingying and her mother have taken lodgings when accompanying the coffin of the recently deceased father back home. Suddenly, the temple is besieged by a local gang of outlaws, who demand the daughter to be handed over. Yingying's mother promises her daughter's hand in marriage to whoever saves the daughter from falling into the hands of the gang leader. However, when Zhang succeeds in doing so with the help of General Du, his childhood friend, she does not keep her promise. The young couple start a secret affair, supported by Hongniang ('Lady in Red'), Yingying's maid. When Yingying's mother discovers the affair, she consents to the marriage on the condition that Zhang passes the final examination for the highest position in the civil service of the capital, Zhang does so well, that he is granted a top position. (Suebsman 2019, p.43)

On this coffee cup we see the probably best-known scene of the Romance. Zhang climbs over the wall which separates his home from Yingying's abode by way of a willow. In her room in the west wing of the building, the Western Chamber, the two of them finally become intimate. (Suebsman 2019, p.51)

For a similarly in polychrome enamels decorated beaker, please see:

Kostbaar Goed van Grote Pracht. Chinees en Japans exportporselein uit de 17e en 18e eeuw, (Mr. L.C.A.M. Schölvinck, Zwolle 2010), p.36.

For a similarly in underglaze blue decorated milk jug, please see:

Sold Ceramics - Sold Blue and White wares since 1722 - Tea, Coffee and Chocolate wares - Page 1 - Object 2010874.

Condition: A tiny firing flaw to the handle.

References:

Jacquemart & Le Blant 1862, pp. 77-105

Jörg 1982, fig. 46

Harrisson 1985, cat. 123 & 124

Jörg 1986/1, fig. 56

Jörg 1995, cat. 25

Jörg & Van Campen 1997, cat. 240

Jörg 2003/2, cat. 8

Schölvinck 2010, pp. 33-36

Jörg 2011/2, Scene 16

Suebsman 2019, p.43 & p.51

Price: Sold.