Page 192 - Bonhams Catalog Cohen and Cohen Jan 24, 2023 New York

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A VERY FINE GRISAILLE-ENAMELED MARINE-SUBJECT This finely painted bowl is one of a small group made to celebrate the
‘BATTLE OF THE SAINTES’ PUNCH BOWL significant naval battle in the Caribbean between the British and the
Qianlong period, circa 1785 French that took place April 9-12, 1782. The maritime scene is taken
Painted primarily in shades of gray (grisaille) with a scene from the from a 1783 engraving by Francis Chisholm and John Paltrow after a
naval battle between the British and the French in the Caribbean, off painting by Robert Dodd (1748-1815). The British fleet under Admiral
the islands of Les Saintes, in 1782, depicting various five-masted Sir George Brydges Rodney (1718-1792) defeated a French fleet
warships many displaying the ‘British Ensign’ at their sterns, the under the Comte de Grasse (fig.1). Rodney is credited with introducing
French ships mostly depicted behind thick clouds of cannon smoke the tactic of ‘breaking the line’ which defeated the French fleet on
from a furious barrage from the British ships and with their sails the third day. The ship right of center has been identified as the Saint
severely punctured by fusillades of cannon fire, the reverse side of the Albans, commanded by Captain Charles Inglis, whose brother was a
bowl with a satirical scene depicting a stout John Bull, holding a pint Director of the East India Company and may have been instrumental in
of beer with his bulldog seated under his chair, whilst opposite sits a the ordering of these bowls.
skinny Frenchman holding a bowl of soup with a small hound under
his chair, an inscription above the head of John Bull reads ‘You be The satirical scene is after an engraving titled “Politeness,” which is
damn’d’ and above the head of the Frenchman ‘Vous etes une bete known in several versions and is attributed to James Gillray (1756-
(you are a beast), the partial cartouche that frames the figures that sit 1815) depicting confrontations between national stereotypes and
on a wide grassy bank, includes a band of small green dots with gilt originally published in 1779 (fig.2).
highlights, the same low-key color scheme is used in a wide band of
green-dot and diaper cell pattern at the interior rim and a symmetric This example, from the first order (later examples lack the two figures
floral roundel at the bowls center. and are replaced with a picturesque coastal scene) would appear to be
15in (38.1cm) diam one of a small number made for the English market, all of which have
a satirical image of the two figures seen here. The legend above the
$15,000 - 18,000 figure on the left states “You be damned” and above the other “Vous
etes une bete” (You are a beast). From beneath their chairs their dogs
乾隆時期 約1785年 墨彩《桑特海峽戰役》海事圖潘趣酒碗 also exchange snarls.
Published: See other examples of this pattern in Hervouët & Bruneau 1986, p. 49,
Cohen & Cohen, The Elephant in the Room, London, 2019, pp. 36-39, no. 2.38; The Royal Maritime Museum at Greenwich; and the Peabody
no. 15 Essex Museum, in Sargent 2012, no. 175, 328-9, with more related
works listed.
Exhibition:
The Elephant in the Room, Cohen & Cohen, London, 2019
出版：
Cohen & Cohen, 《The Elephant in the Room》，倫敦，2019年，頁
36-39，圖錄編號15

展覽：
《The Elephant in the Room》，倫敦Cohen & Cohen古董行，2019年

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190 | BONHAMS