Page 74 - Bonhams Catalog Cohen and Cohen Jan 24, 2023 New York

(detail)

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A VERY RARE PUCE-DECORATED ‘EEL-CARTOUCHE’ Only a few plates of this scene are recorded. It appears to have been
TOPOGRAPHICAL MARINE PLATE a private order for a ship’s captain or supercargo. The highly unusual
Qianlong period, circa 1755 depiction of an eel biting its tail, is here probably meant to represent
Boldly enameled in rich puce-pink tones ( en camaieu rose) across the an ‘ouroboros’, an ancient symbol, often depicted as a snake or
center with a European merchant ship in full sail in front of a European dragon eating its tail, was popular among freemasons, who made up
port, likely Amsterdam, the scene set within a highly unusual ‘eel’ a fair portion of men in the China trade. The choice of an eel rather
cartouche depicting the fish encircling the scene and biting its own tail than a snake seems wholly appropriate for a seafaring commission,
to complete the cartouche, the cavetto with neatly delineated iron-red particularly, a Dutch one, where eel was a delicacy.
and gilt spearheads, and the wavy-rimmed border with puce panels
of various cell patterns leafy grounds with lappets and loosely-painted The flag on the ship depicted might be a Dutch one and the port
flowers. buildings in the background appear to be a view of Amsterdam,
9in (23cm) diam although a direct print source has yet to be found. Prints of this sort
depicting Amsterdam were common in the eighteenth century (fig. 1).
$2,500 - 3,500
References: Hervouet & Bruneau, 1986, p. 37, no. 2.4, another
乾隆時期 約1755年 罕見堆紅描金《鰻魚開光邊飾》航海誌盤 example from the Groninger Museum.

Published:
Cohen & Cohen, Baroque & Roll, Antwerp, 2015, p. 82-83, no. 54
出版：
倫敦Cohen & Cohen古董行，《Baroque & Roll》，安特衛普，2015
年，頁82-83，圖版編號54

(fig.1)

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