Page 178 - Chinese Porcelain Vol II, Galland

KANG-HE.
342

Famille Verte with Blue Enamel.
Nos. 585, 586. A pair of famille verte dishes. Diameter,
20f inches ; height, 2| inches. Note the mark which is
somewhat uncommon ; it is enclosed in two blue rings. See
No. 483. These beautiful pieces probably belonged origin-
ally to a set of four, representing the seasons ; if so, the lotus
and are
chrysanthemum are, unfortunately, missing. They
finished off with a gilt edge, below which the diaper band in
each is the same, a circle on the inside the
yellow balancing
at the In the winter the stem of the
gilt edge. piece prunus
tree is a beautiful aubergine glaze, such as is to be found on
much of the china of this period ; the flowers are marked in
and red, so as to show on the white while the
gilt up ground,
reader will notice the bamboo shoots on either side; but the pine,
"
the other of the three friends," seems wanting. The magpies,
birds of good omen, no doubt, foretell the coming spring. On
the spring dish, No. 586, the rocks are covered with grasses,
while in addition to birds we have butterflies and other insects,
showing the advance that has taken place in the year. Of the
five paeonies, two are gilt, one blue, one red, while the top one
is red near the stem and blue and neutral tint beyond really
in the look like one.
two flowers, although photograph they
Gilt enters largely into the composition in these handsome
that so much admired collectors.
pieces, rich, dull gold by
The backs of these dishes are left undecorated.
"Magpies and the apricot or prunus. In China artists
draw spring, summer, autumn, and winter pictures. The spring
is represented by the nightingale and the willow, the summer
by the white egret and the lotus, the autumn by the crane and
the fir tree, and the winter by the apricot and the magpie."
Dr. Bushell gives the following instances of how the
seasons are symbolized by the Chinese in pieces illustrated
in his book :

SPRING.
Pseony with magnolia.
Two ladies under a willow.
and
Magnolia yulan paeony.
trees with
Mountain scene, peach pink blossoms, willows.