A Chinese porcelain Dutch-decorated saucer dish c.1720

A Chinese porcelain Dutch-decorated saucer dish c.1720, the original plate left plain with a brown line rim, enamelled in Holland in the Kakiemon manner with two monkeys holding peaches, perched on a bamboo fence beneath prunus and beside flowering chrysanthemum, birds and butterflies in flight above, the rim with a narrow band of scrolling green leaves with red and gilt flowerheads, 22.2cm.

Provenance: the Helen Espir Collection, no. 897. Purchased from Anita Gray, July 2005.

Illustrated: Helen Espir, European Decoration on Oriental Porcelain, p.253 (the pattern from this dish).

This unusual dish, with decoration dating from c.1720-25, appears to be unique in its depiction of monkeys in Dutch Kakiemon. While the palette hails from Japanese porcelain, the combination of monkeys and peaches has been used in Chinese decoration since the Song dynasty, both being auspicious symbols of longevity.