Ref: U480
Archive item - not for sale
Chinese Canton famille-rose medallion oval dish, 19th century, the central roundel richly decorated in polychrome overglaze enamels and gilt with a courtyard scene, with a dignitary sitting upon the balcony of a pagoda with attendants, while two kneeling female farmers seek supplication from a courtier and two further women holding baskets and wearing wide-brimmed hats and hitched skirts look on, all set within a rocky garden with tree and low fence visible in the background, the wide rim decorated in the typical style with butterflies, fruits and flowers including peony, chrysanthemum and lily.
Dimensions:
Width: 38.5cm. (15 1/4in.); height: 33cm. (13in.)
Condition:
Some wear to enamels and gilding, two tiny frits.
Notes:
Butterflies (hudie) symbolise blessings or happiness; the latter syllable is homophonous with 'die' (eighty years old) and so they can also be a symbol of longevity or a long and happy marriage. The motif of a butterfly amongst peony, in particular, often alludes to a young man approaching the woman he loves. The auspiciousness of the imagery on this dish is further increased by the repetition of the motif; reference to yet another homophone of ‘die’ which translates to ‘pile up’ or ‘multiply’.
