Lot Essay
This design made by the Dutch draughtsman, Cornelis Pronk, in 1737 was the fourth and last drawing he made for the Dutch East India Company; it was sent to Batavia by the Heeren XVII in 1738 and received in Canton in 1739. See C.J.A. Jörg, Pronk Porcelain, pp.34 - 37 for a discussion on this design; ibid., fig.11, colour pl.X and cat.no. 50 for the similar example in the Groninger Museum. Jörg explains that the earlier designs are reported to have 'proved quite expensive and for this reason they did not dare to have the whole quantity made as had been requested'. It was probably for this reason that this design was only made in underglaze-blue and white, and in famille rose enamels.
Other famille rose dishes with this design are illustrated by D. Howard & J. Ayers, op.cit., vol.I, p.301, no.295; by M. Beurdeley, op.cit., p.177, cat.124, for the example in the C. T. Loo Collection; by C.J.A. Jörg, op.cit., p.104, fig.38, for the Princessehof Museum example; by C. Le Corbeiller, op.cit., p.59, fig.24 for the Victoria and Albert Museum example; by D. F. Lunsingh Scheurleer, op.cit., no.202, for the Boymans-van Beuningen Museum dish; and by D. S. Howard, op.cit., 1994, p.75, no.55, from the Hodroff Collection, together with a blue and white example, no.56, from the same collection. See also the similar dish, sold in these Rooms, 16 March 1981, lot 272, and illustrated by A. du Boulay, op.cit., p.262, fig.3.
Other famille rose dishes with this design are illustrated by D. Howard & J. Ayers, op.cit., vol.I, p.301, no.295; by M. Beurdeley, op.cit., p.177, cat.124, for the example in the C. T. Loo Collection; by C.J.A. Jörg, op.cit., p.104, fig.38, for the Princessehof Museum example; by C. Le Corbeiller, op.cit., p.59, fig.24 for the Victoria and Albert Museum example; by D. F. Lunsingh Scheurleer, op.cit., no.202, for the Boymans-van Beuningen Museum dish; and by D. S. Howard, op.cit., 1994, p.75, no.55, from the Hodroff Collection, together with a blue and white example, no.56, from the same collection. See also the similar dish, sold in these Rooms, 16 March 1981, lot 272, and illustrated by A. du Boulay, op.cit., p.262, fig.3.