An unusual Chinese tea bowl with European subject, Qianlong
Code: 251201
A finely-potted and translucent Chinese tea bowl with European-subject decoration in famille rose enamels within elaborate gilt borders of European design. One panel shows a shepherd playing on a pipe to a shepherdess, both seated under a tree with a lake and town in the distance. The other panel shows a man leaning on a staff with a tree before him and a house behind. Diameter 7cm (2.7”). Qianlong c1740
A large saucer with the same scene of the shepherd and shepherdess is shown in figure 536 of ‘China for the West’ by Howard & Ayres. These authors speculate that the Chinese were copying this design from a piece of European porcelain.
Condition: there are 2 shallow chips to the delicate rim, and a consolidated hairline which is partly visible as a brown line.
