Page 233 - Chinese Porcelain Vol I, Galland

PAINTED IN COLOURS UNDER THE GLAZE. 157

that the inside trellis-work diaper band is broken by the same
The central decoration consists of willows,
W-shaped spaces.
etc. This also is soft
preonies, paste.
Blue and White Mandarin.
Nos. 252 and 253 are what we may call "blue and white
mandarin," and it will be noticed that the surface of No.
253, between the medallions, is sown with hemispheric points
resembling shagreen, or rather, according to the Chinese ex-
"
pression, chicken's flesh." In both these pieces the medallions
are marked off by a narrow framework of raised porcelain, and,
as is usual with mandarin china, there are two large and four
small medallions, the rest of the surface decorated with
being
flowers and
foliage.
No. 252. An inverted with lion cover.
pear-shaped jar
Height, 11} inches. No mark. Owing to the deep blue with
which this of china is decorated, it is to
description necessary
leave the ground uncoloured where the two Chinese figures
are saluting each other, or they would not be seen. This
has rather the effect of making the figures appear to be in
a cavern.
No. 253. A beaker. inches. No mark.
straight Height, 9|
This is the usual shape of mandarin beakers. The decoration
is similar to that on No. 252, and seems to but little in
vary
any of the blue and white of this class. This is not the
" "
willow of which the is a
pattern proper, following descrip-
tion as it on our and the tale of the
appears plates, gives
" " —
willow :
pattern
"
To the is a mandarin's seat
right country ; in the fore-
ground is a pavilion, in the background an orange tree ; and
to the a tree in full The estate is enclosed
right peach bearing.
in a fence. At one end of the is the famous willow
bridge
tree, and at the other a gardener's cottage. At the top of
the left-hand is an island with a on
plate, side, cottage it.
The birds are doves. The three are the mandarin's
figures
with a distaff in her hand, the lover, and the man-
daughter
darin. The is this. The mandarin had an
story only daughter,
Li-chi, who fell in love with Chang, her father's secretary ;
and he lived in the island at the of the
cottage top plate.
The mandarin forbade the match, and the lovers and
eloped,
l 3