CIRCA 1745

Details

A rare pair of 'European Subject' plates
Circa 1745
Finely enamelled at the centre with 'Les Phlerins de l'Isle de Cythère', Cupid leading the couple along the bank of an estuary beside a forest, lighting their way with a torch in his right hand, the gentleman pouring a cup of wine for the lady at his side, a boat sailing on the water beyond, and a view of Western buildings along the far shore visible in the distance, a gilt spearhead band in the well and the border with iron-red and gilt shell scroll, one with star base crack
23.2 cm. diam. (2)

Special notice

Christie's charges a Buyer's premium calculated at 23.205% of the hammer price for each lot with a value up to €110,000. If the hammer price of a lot exceeds €110,000 then the premium for the lot is calculated at 23.205% of the first €110,000 plus 11.9% of any amount in excess of €110,000. Buyer's Premium is calculated on this basis for each lot individually.

Lot Essay

This scene is directly copied from an engraving of 1708 by Bernard Picart. Several versions of this design are known on Chinese porcelain, although the enamelled examples are quite rare. See the following lot for a pair of plates in the more common palette. An enamelled plate from the Mottahedeh Collection, is illustrated by Howard and Ayers, China for the West, London and New York, 1978, vol.II, no.353. The same print is copied on Meissen porcelain of circa 1730-35, see S. Ducret, Meissner Porzellan, Braunschweig, 1972, vol.II, p.96, figs.67 and 68.
A similar example was sold at Christie's London, The Dr Anton C.R.Dreesmann Collection, 10 April 2002, lot 469.

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