Ref: W572
£ 2,500
Price is subject to availability and market conditions.
Chinese famille verte two-handled circular bowl and cover, Kangxi (1662-1722) with lion dog finial and moulded green lion head handles, the body and lid decorated with four panels containing orchid with lotus and swimming mandarin ducks, chrysanthemum, prunus and peony, the latter three with birds flying overhead or perched upon branches, the foot with a band of lotus petals.
Notes:
In Chinese culture and art, flowers hold a rich symbolism; here, the four different flowers represent the passing of the seasons: peony (spring), orchid/lotus (summer), chrysanthemum (autumn) and prunus (winter). Though other flowers are sometimes substituted, these seasonal groupings appear frequently in Chinese and Japanese ceramics and paintings; often appearing on screen panels or scrolls. Though tureens like this would have been produced for export to Europe where such associations would not be readily understood, traditional Chinese motifs and designs persisted and were appreciated, if not for their symbolism, for their aesthetic qualities.
