Printed from Woolley & Wallis

Description

Two Chinese porcelain Dutch-decorated bowls 1st half 18th century, originally decorated with narrow hatched borders in underglaze blue surrounding anhua bands, one with four flowerhead mon, one decorated in Holland c.1747 with portrait panels of William IV encircled by fruiting orange branches and with further panels bearing the inscription 'W:C:H:F: verkooren tol Stadtholder 1747', the second decorated with two panels of a couple taking tea at a small table, two other panels of a fisherman in a pagoda landscape, the interior with a large basket of flowers in the Delft doré manner, 15cm dia. (2)

Provenance: the Helen Espir Collection, nos. 885 and 654.

Illustrated: Helen Espir, European Decoration on Oriental Porcelain, p.171, pl.23 for the bowl depicting William IV.

During the War of Austrian Succession, in April 1747, the French invaded Dutch territory. William was appointed stadtholder of Zeeland, Holland, Utrecht and Overijssel, becoming the first man to be stadtholder of all seven provinces. The Tea Party scene is also believed to be a possible allusion to William IV and Anne of Hanover in the early years of their marriage, a subject which is discussed in European Decoration on Chinese Porcelain, p.167, which also illustrates a Japanese saucer with the same pattern.