Saucer
ca. 1750 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The design on this saucer combines several amorous trophies and symbols of marital union in a pastoral landscape. The symbols include two doves perching on Cupid's quiver, an altar with two vases, a garland of flowers, a shepherd's pipe, a bonnet, and two crooks.
This kind of design, known as the "Valentine pattern", the "Absent Master" or the "Altar of love", was first used on a service made in 1743 for Lord George Anson (1697-1792), a British admiral who circumnavigated the globe. The pattern was probably copied from a drawing by Piercy Brett, the draughtsman of the expedition, and several variants were painted by Chinese decorators in the Canton workshops, and at the Worcester factories in England.
This kind of design, known as the "Valentine pattern", the "Absent Master" or the "Altar of love", was first used on a service made in 1743 for Lord George Anson (1697-1792), a British admiral who circumnavigated the globe. The pattern was probably copied from a drawing by Piercy Brett, the draughtsman of the expedition, and several variants were painted by Chinese decorators in the Canton workshops, and at the Worcester factories in England.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Porcelain painted inoverglaze polychrome enamels and gilt |
| Brief description | Saucer with amorous trophies, China, Qing dynasty, ca. 1750 |
| Physical description | Saucer painted in overglaze polychrome enamels and gilt with two doves perching on Cupid’s quiver, an altar with two vases, a garland of flowers, a shepherd’s pipe, a bonnet, two hounds and two crooks. |
| Dimensions |
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| Styles | |
| Object history | Purchased from a source not recorded in the Asia Department registers, accessioned in 1854. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | The design on this saucer combines several amorous trophies and symbols of marital union in a pastoral landscape. The symbols include two doves perching on Cupid's quiver, an altar with two vases, a garland of flowers, a shepherd's pipe, a bonnet, and two crooks. This kind of design, known as the "Valentine pattern", the "Absent Master" or the "Altar of love", was first used on a service made in 1743 for Lord George Anson (1697-1792), a British admiral who circumnavigated the globe. The pattern was probably copied from a drawing by Piercy Brett, the draughtsman of the expedition, and several variants were painted by Chinese decorators in the Canton workshops, and at the Worcester factories in England. |
| Bibliographic reference | Kerr, Rose and Luisa E. Mengoni Chinese Export Ceramics London: V&A Publishing, 2011.
p.66, pl.84 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 203-1854 |
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| Record created | February 3, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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