Page 60 - Chinese Porcelain Vol II, Galland

292 KANG-HE.

decoration, playing the principal part with such pleasing effect
that one cannot but it was not more often allotted this
regret
role. was known in
Aubergine Ming times, and, it is said by
the Chinese, long before that ; at all events, we find it on the
earliest specimens of famille verte belonging to the present
It is on
period. very charmingly employed many Yung-ching
and
pieces, it is met with on some of the earlier Keen-lung
rose verte, but, as a rule, it to have been out of favour
appears
the of the rose the best
during greater part period, specimens
seldom showing more than a trace of it, if that. On the late
famille verte made the end of the last
eighteenth and during
century, we find it re-established in its old position along with
the greens, as on the back of the lion in No. 309, and in the
tessellated pavement in No. 895.
Whole-coloured aubergine pieces do not seem very common
on this side, whatever they may be in China, and would seem
to to the biscuit celadon class, as for :
belong example
Nos. 502, 503. Representing a pair of small bell-shaped
3
bowls. Diameter, 7f inches ; height, inches. Mark, seal (un-
known) in two blue rings, covered inside and outside with a lovely
rich brown the further decoration consisting of
aubergine glaze,
three flower in and white. Inside,
rough sprays yellow, green,
at the bottom, there is what may probably be intended for a
fungus in yellow with two green leaves, and this seems the
general method of decorating these bowls. The base is left
white, the mark being in blue under the glaze. These bowls
should come later in the but are here
probably reign, placed
to deal with this colour before going on to the
important
famille verte class in which it is so much used. Some of these
whole-coloured we find relieved white
aubergine pieces by
reserves decorated in famille verte style.
Famille Verte with Blue under the Glaze.
Following on the five-coloured pieces of the Wan-leih
period, we must now take up the early famille verte of this
reign.
No. 504. A fluted with
spiral jar lotus-shaped top. Height,
12 inches. No mark. famille
10 inches ; including top, Early
verte with blue under the glaze, by many considered to be
Ming, but most likely an early Kang-he piece. The lotus