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Shanxi province are extremely affluent.” When people reign who were furnishing their homes. It is interesting Kangxi Emperor’s birthday in 1713. There are a series
are content, happy and successful, it leads to and creates and perhaps amusing to wonder if one of these wealthy of these dishes in The Percival David Foundation at the
a desire for new innovations. This desire particularly merchants might ask a guest if he or she could identify British Museum.
affected and inspired the porcelain market resulting in the literature or historical nature of the subject matter One must not discount the fact that these pieces must
new shapes being created. Of particular importance is the painted on one of his vases. Some of the best rouleau have been expensive to manufacture. Kilns had to be
rouleau vase, one of the most distinguished and iconic vases were sent to the Emperor’s palace, and this can be fired, staff employed and artists paid. Mistakes happened
porcelain forms made during the Kangxi Emperor’s verified by those found in the Château de Fontainebleau and there were kiln firing flaws and failures. The pieces
reign. The vase has an unusual shape, never seen before, and illustrated in Le Musée Chinois de L’Impératrice that have survived over 250 years in perfect condition are
with a large cylindrical body, high shoulder and a smaller Eugénie, fig. 17, pp. 24-25. telling us a story. They have been loved and cherished by
cylindrical neck with a galleried rim. This shape gives the
To enhance these new shapes, a range of coloured generation after generation. When we touch them they
artist a canvas to create a continuous scene, or if desired a
enamels were created, inspired by the Ming wucai palette. speak to us and tell us their secrets.
series of different panels. Chinese experts realized a long
In the west, it was given the French name famille verte,
time ago its importance. There are nine rouleau vases The present exhibition could not have been held without
translated into English as ‘green family’ because of the
published in Porcelains in Polychrome and Contrasting the continued hard work and effort by Stuart and Samuel
prominence of green enamel. There was the emergence
Colours, The Complete Collection of Treasures of The Palace Marchant. They search the world continuously, looking
of blue enamel, difficult to fire and sometimes lacking
Museum, Beijing, Vol. 38, nos. 65-73. We are proud to to source genuine and worthwhile pieces. I have to
adhesion to the glazed body. It also slightly changed in
publish four outstanding examples (nos. 2, 11, 22 & 35). thank Natalie Marchant for her creative and excellent
colour towards the end of the reign, almost anticipating
Firstly, no. 2, from the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Collection, photography, and Simon Abraham-Gregory for his 29
the approach of the famous rose enamel.
was accessioned to The Metropolitan Museum of Art in years supervising our gallery and looking after all of us.
1960. There is an absence of any underglaze blue or blue Regarding subject matter, Chinese people have great Yiyi Chen is now in her second year at Marchant, and
enamel, its being inspired by the wucai palette of the love for river and mountain scenes, animals, flowers is a great help meeting Chinese clients, translating and
Ming Dynasty. Therefore we have dated this rouleau vase and vegetation, as well as high regard for elegant ladies helping with the catalogue. We wish the best of luck
early in the period, circa 1680. No. 11, painted with ten with attributes of knowledge and ability to play musical to Lydia Clark, who is leaving to get married, and also
beautiful ladies of the court, has remarkable provenance instruments and weiqi board games. They are often to Bridget Davidson, who is expecting her first child.
from the important and highly respected T. Y. Chao portrayed with young boys, but rarely, if ever, with Thanks are also due to Rosanne Chan at CA Design for
Collection, and has been exhibited at three museums: young girls. What is particularly exciting is the emergence printing our catalogue.
The Victoria and Albert Museum, London; The Hong of a pictorial style of painting, not seen since the
Kong Museum of Art; and The Denver Museum of Art; 14th century.
and is also published on the front cover of Provenance, There are four pieces with the Kangxi reign mark (nos. Richard Marchant
Collectors, Dealers & Scholars in the Field of Chinese 10, 23, 33 & 34). The first has a scene from The Water September 2017
Ceramics in Britain & America, 2011 written by the Margin with the rare feature of a green underside rim.
late Roy Davids and co-author Dominic Jellinek. This Formerly from three well known and respected collections
vase has great significance to the Marchant family, as we and handled by two of the most famous English
helped form the Roy Davids Collection. While doing so, dealers, Sparks and Bluett & Son. The persimmon and
we became friends and respected him for his continuous pomegranate saucer dish (no. 23) is a delight to touch
search for knowledge and love of literature and poetry. and examine. On close inspection there are three incised
He will be greatly missed by all who had the privilege of five-claw imperial dragons concealed beneath the fruits.
knowing him. In perfect condition it has been loved and treasured for
All four rouleau vases share a subject matter associated over 300 years, and would grace the finest collection.
with Chinese history and literature which would have There are two birthday dishes (nos. 33 & 34). They have
great appeal to the wealthy merchant class of the Kangxi this name as they are supposed to have been made for the
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