Description:
Chinese export porcelain plate with an allegorical marriage scene decorated en grisaille (or encre de Chine or ink color) in black, brown, flesh tones, and gilding. 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. According to Howard and Ayers, this scene was copied from the frontispiece of a 17th century book; and the rim's gilt scrollwork from a style popular on Meissen porcelain since shortly after 1725. Less than a dozen services with this scene are known in different plate sizes, rim borders, and armorials, all made for the Dutch market. Despite the intricacy of detail, this image was a standard pattern rather than a special order, probably made for no more than two or three seasons, where the figures remained unchanged; with special orders, only the coats of arms on the pillars and sometimes a motto personalizing the piece would be added. The coats of arms on this plate have not yet been identified. The arched entrance is superscribed in Latin: "SEMPER AMOR PRO TE FIRMIISSIMUS ATQUE FIDELIS" (my love for you will always be steadfast and true); standing on the left between the pillars supporting the arch is Prudence of Wisdom holding a mirror, and on the right, Ceres, protector of marriage, with a bundle of spices in her hand and a cornucopia at her feet. In the center the wedding couple stands before the wedding altar with two doves, the symbols of marital fidelity; they are crowned by Juno, goddess of marriage and maternity, with her peacock next to her, while Hymenaeus, god of the marriage ceremony holds his torch; behind him are other goddesses and to the left, dancing girls with garlands. In the foreground Neptune, nymphs, and tritons emerge from a wreath of reeds with two of the figures with horns celebrating the marriage. Historic Deerfield owns a related marriage plate (HD 55.196) with the arms of Van Bergen Van Der Grijp and Van Beaumont Accolle, circa 1740.
Subjects:
Pottery; Enamel and enameling; glaze (coating by location); polychrome; Porcelain Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+SR.12 |
