Description:
Chinese export porcelain teacup and saucer decorated en grisaille (or encre de chine or ink color) with an element of the 'Valentine' pattern - 'Altar of Love' (two flaming hearts on an altar, two doves billing on Cupid's quiver, wreath and side curtains). The exterior cup rim and saucer have a gilt scroll-and-shell band derived from European baroque and rococo scroll motifs popular between 1745-1755; the interior has a floral sprig in the center well. The 'Valentine' pattern, a combination of pastoral, erotic, and exotic South Seas elements such as a breadfruit tree and coconut palm, was originally found on a 1743 dinner service made in Canton for Commodore George Anson (1697-1762). It was probably designed by then First Lieutenant Piercy Brett (1709-1781), Anson's official artist during his 1740-1744 circumnavigation; many of Brett's drawings were used as the basis for the engravings in "Anson's Voyages", published in 1748. 'Altar of Love' and 'Absent Master' (tree, wreath, dogs, shepherd's crook, pipes and hat, sheep) were independent motifs, remembrances of home, first combined on the 1743 service. Two other scenes are known to have been used: 2 wolves (or dogs) approaching a cottage; and a cottage, woman spining, man, oxen, and bridge (see HD 60.168). Chinese enamelers developed ink-color decoration as a method of reproducing print images on porcelain for the western market. Dominated by black enamels and washes, ink-color decoration was first produced in the 1730s and remained popular throughout the 18th century. Often period documents refer to this decoration as "pencil'd," reflecting its use of fine brush strokes and black color.
Subjects:
Pottery; Enamel and enameling; glaze (coating by location); Porcelain Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+71.046 |
