Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Ceramics, Room 145

Saucer

ca. 1750 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

As Chinese trade with Europe increased from the 18th century, European traders often commissioned Chinese craftsmen to produce goods to bring back to Europe, and this dish is one of such items. These commissions formed some of the earlier modern Chinese depictions of foreigners. The representation is usually not a caricature, as the craftsmen's main concern was to reproduce the design they've been given as accurately as they could. The bawdy decoration on this double-sided dish is based on the European print Perrette et le pot au lait.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Porcelain painted in enamels and gilt
Brief description
Saucer, porcelain decorated with a woman in a long dress climbing a stile, Chinese, ca. 1750
Physical description
Painted inside with a landscape scene with mountains and a village and in the foreground is a young European woman wearing a long dress and with a basket on her head, stepping onto a stile; below the rim is a narrow border with four scrollwork cartouche and a cable-pattern; on the base, a bawdy picture of the woman seen from the rear.
Dimensions
  • Diameter: 12.07cm
Credit line
Bequeathed by Basil Ionides
Historical context
After a European print Perrette et le pot au lait, ca. 1750
Subjects depicted
Summary
As Chinese trade with Europe increased from the 18th century, European traders often commissioned Chinese craftsmen to produce goods to bring back to Europe, and this dish is one of such items. These commissions formed some of the earlier modern Chinese depictions of foreigners. The representation is usually not a caricature, as the craftsmen's main concern was to reproduce the design they've been given as accurately as they could. The bawdy decoration on this double-sided dish is based on the European print Perrette et le pot au lait.
Collection
Accession number
C.84-1963

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Record createdMarch 24, 2003
Record URL
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