Tianqi -Chongzhen period (c. 1625-1635)
The sturdily potted dishes are of square form with flattened rim with indented corners. The interior of each is painted in shades of underglaze-blue to the centre with large flowering lotus branches growing from a pond. A turtle is emerging from a lotus leaf in the lower left corner; a winged insect is hovering above. The rims are reserve-decorated in white with a border of scrolling chrysanthemum.
17.5 and 17.8 cm wide
Provenance:
Formerly in a Japanese collection
Acquired from Jorge Welsh, London
The scene of the present dish is painted after a Chinese woodblock print from the Bazhu Huapu, 'Manual of Eight Types of Paintings', dating from the Tianqi period (1621-1627). In the original print, a frog is shown on the lotus leaf, which is replaced by a turtle in our dishes.
明天啟至崇禎 青花荷塘古染付方盤 兩件
c. 1625-1635
器胎堅實，呈倭角折沿方盤式。盤心以青花繪荷塘景致，蓮花自水中挺立；左下角一烏龜自荷葉間探出，上方繪草蟲翩躚。折沿處飾纏枝菊紋一週。
此盤紋飾取材自明天啟年間刊行之木刻版畫《八種畫譜》。原版畫中荷葉上繪有一青蛙，而本品則將其替換為烏龜。
寬 17.5 及 17.8 公分
來源：日本舊藏
倫敦 Jorge Welsh
