Page 59 - Chinese Porcelain Vol II, Galland

AUBERGINE. 291

white. Some of these pieces are fitted with metal spouts, when
they are called water-holders. These pieces vary in age,
some are older than others, and may date from Ming times ;
but this has all the of to the Tsing
appearance belonging
borderland
period.
This is the first instance we meet in this series of the wave
pattern that we will find occurring right down to the end.
Famille Noire (see also p. 325).
"
This of decoration seems to be coeval with the three-
style
coloured," with which it appears to have much in common.
In these earlier the black, if not of other
pieces composed
colours, is at least generally coated with a green enamel.
Nos. 500, 501 represent two black bowls. Diameter, 7|
3 inches. No mark. These date from
inches ; height, probably
the of the of The are so care-
early part reign Kang-he. edges
fully finished off that it is difficult to arrive at the composition
of the black with which are covered, but it would seem
jet they
to be obtained by placing green upon a sort of black or brown.
The trunk of the is covered with a trans-
prunus very good
parent aubergine, through which the drawing in black shows
The and bamboo leaves at the base are in a
up clearly. pine
beautiful green enamel. The flowers appear to be painted in
some white enamel. The bird
opaque is aubergine, yellow,
and which the black
green, through tracing acts as shading.
Inside the bowls are washed with a
green enamel, which, being
put on thinner, looks lighter in colour than that outside. At
foot there is a flower outlined in black. Pine and
spray
bamboo leaves seem to be a combination often made use of,
probably because both are emblems of longevity.
Aubergine.
The French have described this colour in it
aptly giving
the above name, for it resembles the tints to be found on the
more than else. It is a enamel
egg-plant anything transparent
of varied hue from a neutral tint it ranges to purple, and from
a sepia up to a rich brown. It is much used in the famille
verte of this We find it often on the trunks of the trees,
reign.
and in the of the tessellated but in some
squares pavements,
cases, such as Nos. 578-593, it entered very largely into the