Notes:
The central image is taken from a print by Claude Duflos, c.1710. Described as ‘Venus Bathing’, this image has been traced in turn to a work painted by Nicholas Fouché and engraved by Benoît Audran the Elder c.1700, both based in Paris. Quite a number of these designs, in the form of prints, snuff boxes and silver, made their way to China, being easily transportable, and were copied onto teawares and plates such as this for sale as export porcelain. An identical plate can be found in the collection of the Rijksmuseum (AK-NM-13519). See also Mezin 2002, p92, No 73, a plate with this scene, but a different border; Hervouët & Bruneau 1986, No 13.16, a plate with the same border as this one. See ‘Chine de Commande from the Royal Museums of Art and History in Brussels: Chinese Export Porcelain’ p.218
