Description:
Chinese export porcelain tea canister decorated with the scene known as 'The Sailor's Farewell' in the Famille rose palette of pink, green, black, yellow, blue, orange, iron-red, brown, grey, and gilding. This scene of a fond farewell of a sailor or merchant leaving his wife or sweetheart for the Indies was painted on Chinese porcelain over 40 years in several versions - this version is considered one of the best with the couple under a tree with the man pointing to his ship with his right hand while holding a cane behind the back of the woman in his left, a bird flying overhead, and small turreted buildings in the background. The ships were usually painted the same but with different flags to suit different markets, in this instance the Dutch flag. It has been noted that the Chinese artists never understood the significance of the 'Sailor's Farewell' and its complementary scene, 'Sailor's Return', in that the ship is nearly always shown under full sail so that the sailor appears to take his leave too late or arrive ashore too soon. The design was particularly popular on mugs and punch bowls of the late 18th century, and although the dress might change, the basic pose was always the same. The ovoid-shaped tea canister has a short neck, arched shoulders, and a gilt wave-scroll border around the base, a form popular from 1735-1770; the cover is missing.
Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+59.038 |
