Lot Essay
Commissioned in 1735, 'The Doctors' Visit to the Emperor' is the second design drawn by Cornelis Pronk for the Dutch East India Company, the first being 'La Dame au Parasol' in 1734. Due to the expense of transferring the subject onto porcelain, the volume of Pronk's work is small and only two orders of this design were believed to have been placed: the first was carried to the Netherlands on the Hogersmilde at the end of 1738 followed by the second order in the next year.
This design was primarily executed in famille rose enamels, although underglaze-blue and white examples are recorded. A small jar and cover such as the present lot is extremely rare; however famille rose plates, pear-shaped vases, urns and covers with this design are illustrated by D. Howard and J. Ayers, op.cit., vol.I, design 3, p.294; by C.J.A. Jorg, op.cit., 1989, p.143, no.47; by C. G. Williamson, op.cit., pl.XLVI; by M. Beurdeley, op.cit., cat.125, p.178; and by D. F. Lunsingh Scheurleer, op.cit., fig.201. A cup and saucer with a slightly simpler design than the original, showing only three figures, is illustrated by D. Howard and J. Ayers, op.cit., vol.I, p.300, no.294. A blue and white garniture with this design from the Hodroff Collection is illustrated by D. S. Howard, op.cit., no.284, p.240.
A pear-shaped vase with this design was sold in these Rooms, 15 May 1995, lot 196; a saucer-dish was sold in these Rooms, 7 April 1997, lot 52; and an unusually large blue and white plate was sold in these Rooms, 7 November 1994, lot 171.
This design was primarily executed in famille rose enamels, although underglaze-blue and white examples are recorded. A small jar and cover such as the present lot is extremely rare; however famille rose plates, pear-shaped vases, urns and covers with this design are illustrated by D. Howard and J. Ayers, op.cit., vol.I, design 3, p.294; by C.J.A. Jorg, op.cit., 1989, p.143, no.47; by C. G. Williamson, op.cit., pl.XLVI; by M. Beurdeley, op.cit., cat.125, p.178; and by D. F. Lunsingh Scheurleer, op.cit., fig.201. A cup and saucer with a slightly simpler design than the original, showing only three figures, is illustrated by D. Howard and J. Ayers, op.cit., vol.I, p.300, no.294. A blue and white garniture with this design from the Hodroff Collection is illustrated by D. S. Howard, op.cit., no.284, p.240.
A pear-shaped vase with this design was sold in these Rooms, 15 May 1995, lot 196; a saucer-dish was sold in these Rooms, 7 April 1997, lot 52; and an unusually large blue and white plate was sold in these Rooms, 7 November 1994, lot 171.