Page 243 - J. P Morgan Collection of Chinese Art and Porcelain

OF CHINESE PORCELAINS [CASE XIX

the vase; red flies hover round the ends of the branches,

beneath which grow red, blue, green, and golden peonies

and black and red asters, with leaves of bright purple

and pale and dark green. On the neck are two finches

in green, orange, and dark blue, with black heads, one

perched on a deep green twig, the other regarding him

from a rock behind which grow red, purple, and gold

peonies; from the sandy foreground springs purple iris,

and above is a golden sun.

K'ang-hsi (1662-1722). Height ij^ inches.

BOWL498. of white porcelain. Decorated in bril-

liant enamel colors, showing a ceremonial scene where

a personage in yellow robe, green cape, and gold head-

dress, performs on a yellow-topped drum, decorated

with red lotus and scroll-work, accompanied on the

flute by another man in blue with a green cape and

black and gold hat, while two in pale green official

robes embroidered in black hold gold banners charged

with emblems of the sun and moon, and borders of

blue; behind, another, in bright green, holds a sacri-

ficial tripod cup aloft in his left hand. To the left a
man in red, green, and rose stands by a lady in green,
red, and gold, who holds a fan; beyond them stands a

pale yellow stag embellished with black stars and rosy
horns, and a rose-colored doe spotted with black circles,

close to a green palm behind a fantastic blue rock. In

the foreground a man in blue robe and gold belt kneels
and points to the left. All the men have official hats
of black and gold. From the right come five girls, in

red, yellow, green, pale green, and bright blue dresses,

playing on musical instruments, another in bright green

carries a gold wine-pot. In the foreground are two

red-crested, black and white cranes. A building with

swastika grill in black on green, and a panel of flowered
hexagon in red on white, forms a background to the

group. A long window, at each side of which hang pale

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