Description:
Chinese export porcelain coffee cup with a coil handle decorated with a lotus-petal design in the Famille rose palette in iron red, shades of pink, and gilding. Chinese considered the lotus ('nelumbo nucifero'), a plant native to China, to be a powerful symbol with several meanings: association with harmony since the Chinese name, 'hehua', and the word for harmony have the same pronunciation; symbol of Buddha representing his purity and transcendence; symbol of fertility and abundance with its seed pod representing the wish for many children, especially sons; and symbol of Daoism where it is the emblem of 'He Xian Gu', one of the eight Daoist immortals. The lotus was both a popular design on Chinese porcelain found on ceramics as early as the Han dynasty (206 B.C. - 9 A.D.) and in the export market; while Westerners appreciated the design, few understood its significance to Chinese culture. Godden suggests that the above average quality of many of these wares meant that they were Private Trade goods ordered by the individual supercargoes, but Howard states that it is likely that larger consignments were also ordered by the East India companies. The exterior rim has a band of red and gilt stylized foliate sprigs, over two rows of overlapping pink lotus petals extending to the foot outlined and highlighted in iron-red, with an oval reserve or panel with a gilt and red scrolling lotus plant opposite the handle.
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https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+65.214 |
