Sold Ceramics - Sold Famille Rose wares 1725-1800 - Dishes - Page 2

Object 2012435

Dish

China

1730-1745

Height 48 mm (1.89 inch), diameter of rim 352 mm (13.86 inch), diameter of footring 196 m (7.72 inch), weight 1,192 grams (42.05 ounce (oz.))

Dish on footring, wide flat rim. Decorated in various famille rose enamels and gold with flowering peonies, begonias, chrysanthemums and other flowers in a complex cartouche. On the sides and rim flowering peony and chrysanthemum sprays on a whorl-pattern ground flanked by flower heads alternating with cartouches filled with a tied flower head with swirling ribbons and a pearl ribboned pendant with Chinese stone chimes and a ruyi with three ribboned pearl pendants. On the reverse two large peony flower sprays in iron-red. On the base a rectangular paper label which reads: '4000'.

The begonia comes in a variety of flower colours. In Chinese older times, it represents happiness and beauty, due to its blooming and attractive flowers. It has been mentioned in poems and literatures where it often is related to pretty ladies. In the Chinese art and craft world, the word ‘begonia shape’ is used to descript a certain shape or form similar to the begonia flower head. (I am indebted to Mr. S. Fan, Doncaster for this information)

It has been suggested that the objects the just above the ruyi are tied Chinese stone chimes moved by the wind, which is also indicated by the swirling green ribbons. (I am indebted to Mr. D. Ballanger, France for this information)

2010C243 Chinese stone chimes

chimes

Chinese stone chimes (source: www.chinesecio.com)

Little dates this dish at about 1740, as Meissen copies from this date are known. (Lion-Goldschmidt 1957)

In the late 17th / early 18th century porcelain with enamelled decoration became very successful. This continued throughout the 18th century and an even greater assortment of shapes, colours and techniques developed. The rose/pink colour was an important addition to the palette. In 1862 Jacquemart and le Blant categorized the various enamel decorating colours, wares with this pink enamel in the decoration were named famille rose. The knowledge of how to make the colour reached Jingdezhen in the early 1720s and porcelain with an opaque pink enamal was made from c.1725 onwards. Early examples have a rather dull, mauve tint but soon the colour became more vibrant and semi opaque, although it did not achieve the transparency of the verte enamels. By mixing the pink with the recently developed lead/arsenic white enamel different grades of opaqueness could be obtained as well as various intensities of pink. The new colour soon became immensely popular and was combined with other enamels such as green, iron-red, overglaze blue, turquoise, brown and black, while gilding was applied to enhance details. After c.1730 famille rose rapidly succeeded famille verte as the main style of enamelling for the Western export markets. About half of the regular export assortment of the VOC and other companies consisted of 'enamelled' wares, as polychrome porcelain was generally called then, with the pink enamel dominant in a palette. These more ordinary wares were less refined and not so well painted but they nevertheless sold very well in Europe. Generally speaking, enamelled decorations on export porcelain of the second half of the 18th century tend to become somewhat stiff and uninspired, repeating the well-known motifs without much variation in rather dense compositions. However, in the late 18th and early 19th centuries a revival began, probably due to the interest of the Americans as new buyers. (Jörg & Van Campen 1997)

For identically decorated dishes, please see:

Condition: A firing flaw in the centre.

References:

Jacquemart & Le Blant 1862, pp. 77-105

Lion-Goldschmidt 1957, pl. 27, A

Little 1992, cat. 30

Huitfeldt 1993, p.114

Jörg & Van Campen 1997, pp.205-207

Jörg 2003/2, p.25, cat. 8

chinesecio.com

Price: Sold.