Page 40 - Tankards & Mugs, Chinese Export Porcelain, Jorge Welsh

120 Mug

Porcelain decorated in This cylindrical mug has a loop handle and Opinions on the meaning of this scene are divided.
overglaze famille rose is finely painted in overglaze famille rose enamels Some authors suggest that it might possibly repre­
enamels and gold and gold. On the side opposite the handle is a large sent the death of Mary II, Queen of England,
rectangular cartouche, framed by gilt scrollwork with her husband William II, Prince of Orange
Qing dynasty, Qianlong outlined in black, depicting a scene with figures beside her, while her sister, who later succeeded
period (1736-1795), in a bedroom: a lady is reclining in bed; a gentleman her as queen, kneels at her side. It is difficult to
ca. 1750 with a pointed beard stands next to her dressed understand, however, why this event would be
in long robes, while five ladies, all wearing long commemorated on the fiftieth anniversary after
H 11.4 cm and colourful dresses, are grouped around the bed. Queen Mary’s death in 1694.1 Other authors
MØ 9.6 cm Two are engaged in a conversation, while another suggest that this scene may honour the death
BØ 9.4 cm two are watching the bed, and the fifth is kneeling of a well known figure, or may illustrate a scene
V 600 ml beside the bed. Five scattered floral sprays decorate from a tragedy. The ‘Death of the Virgin’ seems
(app. 1 UK pint) the mug: two on each side of the medallion and to have been ruled out from the list of possibilities
a further one below the handle. since, traditionally, the twelve disciples surround
Jorge Welsh Works the Virgin in one of the most common scenes
of Art, Lisbon/London The scene decorating this mug is based on an
unidentified European engraving. Some authors represented in art.2 •
suggest that the original source was probably
English, Dutch or Scandinavian, and dated 1 Howard and Ayers, 1978, vol. I, p. 242, no. 238.
somewhere between 1690 and 1720. 2 Hervouët and Bruneau, 1986, p. 205, no. 9.38.

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