A Chinese Dutch-decorated bowl from the collection of Augustus the Strong early 18th century

A Chinese Dutch-decorated bowl from the collection of Augustus the Strong early 18th century, originally decorated with simple horizontal bands in underglaze blue, later-enamelled in Holland in the Dutch doré manner with alternating panels of baskets of flowers and a fisherman, reserved on a ground of iron red leaves on gilt, around the footrim a stylized border of leaves and flowers, the interior with sprays of flowering prunus and small flying insects, the underside with an incised and coloured 'Johanneum' mark for the Dresden Japanese Palace Inventory 'N+113' and an upwards pointing arrow, 14.6cm.

Provenance: the Helen Espir Collection, no. 270. Purchased from Denis Young in April 1993. This bowl was the inspiration for the collection and the starting point of Helen Espir's research, directing her to the collection of Augustus the Strong in Dresden.

Illustrated: Helen Espir, European Decoration on Oriental Porcelain, p.62, pl.16.

This particular Inventory mark refers to the 'Red Chinese' section of Augustus the Strong's collection, which was inventoried from 1721 onwards. Only Volume 1, which ends in May 1727, survives. The last entry in that section is for May 1727 when N+107 (upward pointing arrow) and N108 (upward pointing arrow) were listed, indicating that it was acquired later in 1727.