Page 515 - Chinese Porcelain Vol II, Galland

DESSERT PLATES. 461

with green leaves. In the centre there is a large jardiniere
with tree and with a lot of little flowers
magnolia pink pseonies
in various colours. To the left is a vase with pink paeony and
At foot a lotus ; at back four flowers
flowering sprays. pink
traced in red and shaded. In at this
roughly looking plate
one can that it is not
only regret eggshell.
No. 804. Eose dessert Diameter, 8| inches
plate. ; height,
f inch. No mark. Brown edge. This would be a very
ordinary plate were it not for the double boy decoration in
the rare to such
centre, which is sufficiently always give pieces
value in the of collectors. That are a Buddhistic
eyes they
symbol is clear from the lotus flowers and leaves with which
they are surrounded on a brownish red curl-work diaper. The
are sketched in red, and their bodies shaded in
boys' figures
flesh colour. The border is marked off by scrolls in blue
enamel, with the usual rose and white flowers on a brown fish-
roe These double seem more common on famille
diaper. boys
verte than in these later descriptions.
"
This is a sketch of Buddhistic The
fancy origin. amalga-
mation of little children with lotus flowers is to show
supposed
that the heart and of children are as the
disposition good, just
lotus flower is and
pure spotless."
No. 805. Eose dessert Diameter, 9 inches
plate. ; height,
1 inch. No mark. Brown covered with
edge, originally gilt.
An decorated with a one would
ordinary porcelain plate, pattern
to find on the result of an order from
expect eggshell, perhaps
some careful who admired the services but did
person eggshell
not like their death-rate. The decoration is marked off
high
by double red circles, with gilt between. The pink diaper on
the rim is broken four reserves filled with flowers. The
by
sides are covered with a the reserves having a
yellow diaper,
red flower with blue enamel scroll-work. The scene in the
centre consists of two ladies and two children, one of whom
has been in the lotus and a small
fishing pond caught fish,
which one of the ladies is removing from the hook.
"This is also of Buddhistic origin. The elder boy has
hooked a and the child is for it ; but
perch, younger begging
the mother refuses to let them have it, and discourses about
the wickedness of life."
taking
Nos. 806, 807. A of conical vases covered with brown
pair