Tureen
ca. 1750 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The biblical scene on the tureen, taken from Genesis (24, 15-20), captures the moment when Abraham's servant, Eliezer, dispatched by his master to choose a wife for his son Isaac, meets Rebecca, who is drawing water from a well with her maidens. According to the story, having reached the town of Nachor Eliezer prayed that the first woman who offered him and his camels water would become Isaac's wife.
A dish with an identical decoration was found by Michael Hatcher in 1985 in the cargo of the Geldermalsen, a VOC ship that sank in January 1752 while sailing from Canton to Batavia. Other similar dishes are known, including one in the V&A collection (C.771-1917), but the tureen is perhaps the only example of a serving vessel with this scene.
A dish with an identical decoration was found by Michael Hatcher in 1985 in the cargo of the Geldermalsen, a VOC ship that sank in January 1752 while sailing from Canton to Batavia. Other similar dishes are known, including one in the V&A collection (C.771-1917), but the tureen is perhaps the only example of a serving vessel with this scene.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
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| Materials and techniques | Porcelain painted in overglaze polychrome enamels and decorated with gilt |
| Brief description | Tureen and cover, porcelain decorated with scenes of Rececca at the well, China, Qing dynasty, ca. 1750 |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Bequeathed by Basil Ionides |
| Summary | The biblical scene on the tureen, taken from Genesis (24, 15-20), captures the moment when Abraham's servant, Eliezer, dispatched by his master to choose a wife for his son Isaac, meets Rebecca, who is drawing water from a well with her maidens. According to the story, having reached the town of Nachor Eliezer prayed that the first woman who offered him and his camels water would become Isaac's wife. A dish with an identical decoration was found by Michael Hatcher in 1985 in the cargo of the Geldermalsen, a VOC ship that sank in January 1752 while sailing from Canton to Batavia. Other similar dishes are known, including one in the V&A collection (C.771-1917), but the tureen is perhaps the only example of a serving vessel with this scene. |
| Bibliographic reference | Kerr, Rose and Luisa E. Mengoni Chinese Export Ceramics London: V&A Publishing, 2011, p.69, pl.88
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | CIRC.160-1963 |
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| Record created | March 12, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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