Qianlong period (1735-1795)
The plates are decorated with three boys on a pleasure boat in the form of a fish. Two boys stand on the roof of the cabin, which doubles as a canopy bed. One is lighting a firecracker while the second anticipates the sound by covering his ears. A third boy stands on the stern, pointing at a magpie in flight, while another is perched on the bow holding a twig in his mouth.
The boat is sailing on crested waves with floating prunus heads. On the other side of the river, mountains, a pagoda, a flag, and a city wall emerge behind swirling clouds. The everted rim of each plate is adorned with squirrels among grapevines, interspersed with foliage that bears large peony heads.
Diameter: 22.6 cm
Provenance: Bertrand de Lavergne, Paris
This scene is full of auspicious symbols and represents a happy event, probably a future wedding. The exploding firecrackers, the prunus heads, and the pair of magpies form the rebus, 'The Announcement of Spring'. The magpie, xique 喜鵲, is the harbinger of joy and happy events. Two magpies symbolise double happiness, shuangxi 雙喜, which refers to a wedding.
The canopy bed may hint at a forthcoming wedding. The boat in the form of a fish symbolises marriage and many children. The five prunus heads, which also have five petals, stand for the Five Blessings: old age, wealth, health, love of virtue, and a peaceful death.
It is possible that the landscape on the other side of the river represents the 'Islands of the Blessed' or the Kunlun Mountains, with the five holy mountains, half-concealed behind clouds, the home of the Immortals.
PF 47 清乾隆 粉彩嬰戲圖盤 一對
盤心畫一艘魚型游舫，上有三名童子或燃爆竹，或指天上喜鵲，河岸另一邊畫寶塔與牆垣。盤沿飾松鼠、葡萄藤與牡丹。此對盤或為新婚賀禮。
直徑22.6公分
來源：Bertrand de Lavergne，巴黎
