The Helen Espir Collection - 12th November 2014
Lot 318
A Chinese porcelain Dutch-decorated bowl Qianlong 1736-95
Estimate £500 - £800 | Hammer £550
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Description
A Chinese porcelain Dutch-decorated bowl Qianlong 1736-95, originally decorated with simple cash diaper borders to the interior and exterior walls, later-enamelled in Holland with a repeated scene of European musicians, a gentleman playing the cello, a lady a small harp, while a second seated lady conducts from a central position, the bowl's interior with a central scene of swans swimming before a village, the inside walls with three landscape scenes, 15.2cm.
Provenance: the Helen Espir Collection, no. 564. Purchased from Sotheby's, 12th November 1996, lot 423.
Illustrated: Helen Espir, European Decoration on Oriental Porcelain, p.166, pl.15.
The decoration on this bowl is perhaps derived from Philip Mercier's painting The Music Party, which depicts the three children of George II (including Anne, Princess of Orange).