A 'HONG' PUNCHBOWL

CIRCA 1785

Details

A 'HONG' PUNCHBOWL
Circa 1785
Painted in vibrant 'Mandarin palette' enamel colors with a continuous scene of the Canton waterfront showing sampans and small Western boats before the open plaza of the Western factories where Europeans and Chinese stroll, work or converse, the interior with a deep border incorporating baskets of flowers, floral festoons, cracked ice and purple scale lappets and centered by a large roundel with a purple-ribboned basket of flowers
14in. (36.8cm.) diam.

Lot Essay

Continuous views of the bustling Pearl Riverfront on 'Hong' bowls seem to date from about 1780, while in 1787 a fence was built atop the seawall, not visible on this bowl, which shows Danish, French, Imperial, Swedish, English and Dutch flags flying. See Hervouet and Bruneau, op. cit., pp. 23-29.