An Imari dish

EDO PERIOD (LATE 17TH/EARLY 18TH CENTURY)

細節

An Imari dish
Edo Period (late 17th/early 18th Century)
Decorated in iron-red enamel and gilt on underglaze blue, the centre with a rocky landscape and three centaurs, one with its body wrapped in fur, the border depicting a horse, tiger, lion, shishi, boar and dogs among flowers and stylised foliage, the reverse with sprays of flowers
10in. (26.1cm.) diam.

拍品專文

A similar example is illustrated in David S Howard and John Ayers, China for the West: Chinese Porcelain & Other Decorative Arts for Export Illustrated From the Mottahedeh Collection, (London, 1978), p. 133, pl.112, and another example is in the British Museum (see R. Soame Jenyns, Japanese Porcelain, (London, 1965), p.69 and pl.44B). The design is taken from a European print.

In Greek mythology, centaurs were the offspring of Ixion and Nephele (the rain-cloud), or of Kentauros (the son of these two) and some Magnesian mares or of Apollo and Hebe. They are best known for their fight with the Lapithae, caused by their attempt to carry off Daidameia on the day of her marriage to Peirithous, King of the Lapithae, himself the son of Ixion. Theseus, who happened to be present, assisted Peirithous, and the centaurs were driven off.