CIRCA 1750-60

This portrait and that on the following lot, representing King Frederick V and his wife, were taken from engravings by Johann Martin Preissler, which in turn were after paintings by Carl Gustave Pilo (1712-1792), a historical artist who painted most of the royal families of northern Europe. This portrait is considered by many to represent Queen Louise, first wife of King Frederick V; he married his second wife in 1752 so, assuming this attribution is correct, a date of circa 1750 would appear appropriate, which would also tie in with the style of the border decoration. Very few Chinese porcelain plates bearing this portrait are known to exist, although a few more of the King appear to have survived. See Hervouët and Bruneau, La Porcelaine des Compagnies des Indes à Décor Occidental, Paris, 1986, p. 228, fig. 9.102 for a very similar plate of the Queen from the collection of H. Danielsen, Copenhagen. For an attribution to the King's second wife, Juliana Maria, a date of circa 1760 and a discussion on the identification of the portrait, see M. Beurdeley, Porcelain of the East India Companies, London, 1962, p. 129 and fig. 89 for a plate in the Espirito Santo Collection, Lisbon.