Page 250 - Chinese Porcelain Vol II, Galland

KANG-HE.
366
the red decoration and a rich
showing through producing very
effect. The centre of the plate is decorated in brilliant enamels
of red, green, purple, aubergine, etc., with rocks, pseonies,
and and on the side
golden pheasants, foliage; right-hand
there is a branch of hawthorn in and black, with red
aubergine
blossoms and green leaves, on which are perched two birds with
and On the
aubergine, purple, yellow plumage. upper portion
of the centre there is a faint cloud in red, with the sun above.
In the left-hand centre are two marks, one and the
square,
other oval above it ; to the right of these four lines of writing,
and again to the right against the top character, a half leaf.
"
This is without doubt a Kang-he piece (1661-1722), and,
owing to the colour of ground and fine enamels, it is a rarity."
The are here intended to
pheasants seemingly represent
The is the account of this
phoenix (see p. 96). following
motive received from China :
"
This is called the of the two and the
picture phcenixes
paeony flowers. The phoenix is regarded as the king of birds,
and the as the of flowers, and the whole scene
paeony king
one Mandarin another.
represents visiting
"
The contains two stanzas from an ode to the
inscription
pjeony. During the T'ang dynasty, the Emperor Hiian Tsung,
while looking at the flowers in his palace gardens, asked one
of his ministers named Ch'en Hsin Ki Who has written the
'
'
best ode on the pSBony in our capital ? The minister replied by
quoting the two stanzas here written, and declared them the
best written on the subject." Unfortunately, a translation of
the poem has not been sent.
For an account of this emperor, see p. 410.
Famille Verte with Blue Enamel without Red.
This is from the Bennett collection, and is described by
Mr. G. K. Davies as follows :
No. 631. "An inverted ware vase, with
pear-shaped Imperial
creamy-white ground glaze; own porcelain cover. Height,
12 inches.
"
It is decorated in famille verte, with
phcenixes on rock,
birds flying and on branches, flowers, foliage, lotus, etc. A
fancy floral band on shoulder, in which are four medallions
with love-birds, and a band at base with a
green key pattern