Page 84 - Chinese Porcelain Vol II, Galland

KANG-HE.
300
fair evidence of the constructional origin of a scheme of
ornament."
The Previous
Blending of Styles.
These four figures can be examined any day in the Salting
collection at South Kensington. They would seem to belong
to the first half of this reign, and are instructive as showing
how the greens with yellow and aubergine, the white upon red,
and the blacks, all merge into the later famille verte which
may be said to be the outcome of ringing the changes on the
old methods of decoration.
Nos. 519 and 520 are alike in that the groundwork is
composed of a light green glaze, the waves, dragons, flowers,
and foliage being in yellow, aubergine, or green of a darker
shade ; we also find the white prunus blossom used to relieve
the surface.
green
No. 521 holds a green peach in each hand ; the upper part
of the dress in with and red orna-
being yellow glaze green
ments, the sash black, same as we find on famille verte pieces,
while the lower of the costume is red with white scroll-
part
work, such as we meet with in the famille verte borders.
No. 522 holds a in the hand visible, while the
peach only
dress is a nearer approach to the famille verte, the circular
reserves being filled with landscapes, the other decoration
being in black, green, yellow, and aubergine, with a white
upon red band to the headdress.
"
No. 519. An idol called the Great King, who is said to
protect villages."
"
No. 520. The Earth god, who protects boundaries."
"
No. 521. The life-prolonging god, who protects children.
The Chinese idea is that when a child's life is
prematurely
cut off, he is bitten to death by the heavenly dog, and the
office of this is to shoot the with a bow and arrow."
god dog
"
No. 522. The King of Hades, or judge of the invisible
world."
Nos. 523, 524. These two 12
figures (height, inches) repre-
"
sent : The gods of the land and of grain worshipped annually
by the emperor at Peking, and also monthly by all city magis-
trates, who go in state to the municipal temples for the
purpose." These are very good examples of the sort of figures