Page 317 - Chinese Porcelain Vol I, Galland
P. 317

PAINTED IN COLOURS OVER THE GLAZE.                   185

          Tliese dishes             the emblem of Laii Tsae-ho,
                      may represent
       or  may  be  simple representations  of flowers in baskets, such
       as are in  everyday  use in China for the  purpose  of  gathering
       them or        them as         etc.
              sending        presents,
          Nos. 317, 318.           bowl.  Diameter, 13^  inches,
                        Bell-shaped
       at base  6^  inches  ;  height,  6 J  inches.  Mark, seal  in two
       blue       The        band at     is marked off  by  double
           rings.      diaper        top
       Indian ink lines with red between  ; this band  is broken  by
       six reserves filled with flowers.  The  diaper-work  is in three
                       between these        The       is marked
       patterns recurring           spaces.      body
       off   double red line into sixteen
          by                           lotus-shaped compartments
       arranged  in two tiers  ; these are filled  alternately  with flowers
       and a monster in various colours.  The flowers in blue enamel
                                         to a white
       are more successful than usual, owing       margin being
       left at the     of each      as shown in the
                 edge         petal,                photograph.
       On the stand is a      band decorated with a
                        green                       key pattern
       in black.  Inside, marked off  by  Indian ink, is a  diaper  band
       with six reserves — three filled with  serpent dragons (mangs,
       see      in     red and      the          three    a fox,
          p. 81)   pale        gilt,   remaining       by
             and monster  in other          At bottom, amidst a
       tiger,                      colours.
       landscape  with  palms,  two  kylins  are  disporting  themselves.
          This  also  is a  Kang-he  piece,  and a  very  interesting
       specimen,  apart  from  being  of  uncommonly good  quality.
       The       show it to have been made for a
           mangs                              prince  of the fifth
       rank or mandarin, evidently  in  government employment,  from
       the fox, guardian  of official seals, being  introduced.  The  tiger
       seems to  point  to the owner  having  been in the  army,  as
       officers mix the bones of this animal with their food to  gain
       courage.  The  kylins  at foot denote  good government,  which
       it should be the      of all officials to     ; while the
                       object                promote
       palm  tree  probably  indicates that a  quiet  life and meditation
       are         to        the           of how to secure that
          necessary   acquire    knowledge
       blessing.  Outside, the  four  seasons are  represented by  the
       usual flowers, and there  is much more, the  meaning  of which
       it is difficult to arrive at.  It will be noticed that the  mangs
       have two  paws  in front, the hind ones  being  drawn so as to
       give  the animal the  appearance  of  having  three tails.
          Nos.  319, 320. A  cylindrical  vase.  Height, 17^  inches.
       Leaf mark in      made blue circle, so as to be in  double
                   badly                             part
       and  part  a  single  line.  Decorated with enamelled colours, but
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