Large Canton enamel tray, Qianlong (1736-1796)

Large Canton enamel tray, Qianlong (1736-1796), of lobed form, painted in enamels with 'The Valentine Pattern'; the central roundel with a pastoral landscape with various trophies and symbols of marital union including billing doves perched upon Cupid's quiver beside the Altar of Love, a breadfruit tree draped with a fruiting garland, a shepherd's pipe with bonnet and crossed crooks, a pair of dogs and a further fruiting garland, with grazing sheep and mountains in the background; the cavetto and rim with two richly decorated bands; the inner spearheaded band with pink flowerheads and scrolling foliage against a yellow ground, the outer with four large panels containing floral arrangements of peony and tropical blooms, against a pale blue ground with dense foliate scroll and four stylised yellow and pink scrollwork roundels; the reverse with a pattern of cracked ice and small blue flowerheads to the rim, the base with floral sprays around a central stylised flowerhead with feathery petals in blue and pink.

Condition : Restored

There is an example of this plate in the British museum (Franks.831.+); also see R.Kerr and L E Mengoni Chinese Export Ceramics 2011

There are variations of the pattern all taken from the Lord Anson armorial dinner service ordered in 1743. The original drawings were by Sir Percy Brett who accompanied Lord Anson on a world tour in the 1740’s.

This object is eligible for a Certificate of BADA Provenance

Condition report

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