Page 170 - Chinese Porcelain Vol I, Galland

CHINESE PORCELAIN.
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knee beneath her are two
right ; on the foot of the pedestal
and at the on lotus flowers, are two
dragons, angles, standing
children in the attitude of devotion. Chinese. Height, 15
inches."
" "
Middle Kingdom," vol. ii. p. 257 : There are many
grounds for supposing that their (the Buddhists) favourite
goddess, Kwan-yin, i.e. the ' Hearer of Cries,' called also ' Holy
Mother, Queen of Heaven,' is only another form of Our Lady."
This seldom in ceramic art in these
goddess appears except
small statuettes. Sometimes she is represented as standing,
sometimes sitting, with or without the child. Jacqueinart,
"
p. 27, describes her as a graceful veiled female, with downcast
sometimes and the sou-GJiou
eyes, sitting holding (rosary) ; at
a child and a or the sacred
others, carrying leaning upon stag
bird." According to Mr. Anderson's book, p. 504, in Chinese
she is seated on a rock with a
pictures generally represented
dragon at her feet and a branch of bamboo in a vase by her
side.
No. 197 does not belong to the ivory class, but is a box
of white unglazed porcelain or fine white biscuit, 3 h X 2h X 1 f
inches. Mark, Taou-kwang, 1821-1851, in raised characters.
Decorated with landscape in relief. These boxes are used for
as a if the owner was
keeping, general rule, vermilion, but
in mourning, a blue pigment, for seals, it being usual in China
not to the name, but to attach the seal to letters and
sign
documents.
Nos. 198, 199, are the seals, small cubes, made of white
ivory
In this instance, one has a and the other
porcelain. tiger,
a lion on the top. Nos. 200, 201, show the bottom, from
whence the impression is conveyed to the paper by means of
the ink.
" Middle Kingdom," vol. i. p. 476 : " It is common to affix
a instead of the name, or to close with a or
cypher periphrasis
sentence well understood by the parties, and thereby avoid
this, which no doubt in a fear of
any signature ; originated
and has become
interception unpleasant consequences, gradually
a common mode of
subscribing friendly epistles."
No. 202. A of "
teapot creamy-white porcelain resembling
ivory." Height, 4 inches. No mark. This was sent from
China as a specimen of " Chin chew ware." The decoration