Pair of Chinese Imari Plates, Qianlong (1736-95)

Ref: X627

Pair of Chinese Imari plates, Qianlong (1736-95), decorated in underglaze cobalt blue, overglaze enamels and gilt to the central roundels with flowers including chrysanthemum, peony and lotus in a jardinière with foliate ornamentation, the wide rims with three alternating pomegranate-shaped cartouches in reserve containing a mythical beast amongst branches of peony, a pair of birds perching on boughs of prunus and a butterfly on lotus blooms; against a dark blue ground richly decorated with peony heads and golden foliate scroll; the reverse with three floral sprays.

Dimensions:

Diameter: 23.5cm. (9 1/4in.)

Condition:

Both with a piece out which have been riveted, one with a riveted hairline and one with faint hairline to body

Notes:

An identical single plate can be found in the collection of the National Trust at Tyntesfield, North Somerset (NT 22633). Chinese Imari dishes were initially based on Japanese models as Chinese potters and merchants responded to European demand for a type of richly decorated export ware made in Arita and shipped to the Dutch trading post at Nagasaki from the port of Imari. For an interesting comparison between this pair of Chinese dishes and Japanese models, see a pair of Japanese Imari octagonal dishes also available for purchase (see our catalogue here) and an example in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam (AK-NM-11860-95).