Bleu de Hue' saucer dish, China, Kangxi (1662-1722), Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Export ware for Viet Nam, mark "In the collection

Bleu de Hue' saucer dish, China, Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Export ware for Viet Nam, mark "In the collection of Roushen", porcelain, 2.7 x 14.4 cm. Gift of Elisabeth M. Smith 2002, 292.2002. Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney (C) Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney

The small porcelain dish is decorated on the interior in blue and white with a charming landscape with figures. A scholar is seated reclining against a rock, gazing far into the distance. His servant sits opposite him under two trees next to a jinrikisha. Two lines of poem by the renowned Tang dynasty poet Du Mu (803-852) appear on the upper left corner, and read: Stopping my cart, I sit and enjoy the maples at twilight; the red autumn leaves surpass February's flowers.' The decoration vividly demonstrates the intermingled taste of the literati and the populace.

A four character mark in cobalt blue is seen on the bottom of the dish. The first two characters of the four character mark, 'Nuoshen zhencang', could be the name of a person or a studio or they could simply mean 'deeply'. The second two characters mean 'treasure of' or 'treasured'. The dish was a product of Jingdezhen, manufactured around the Kangxi period of the Qing dynasty.

Asian Art Department, AGNSW, 15 October 2002.

NDB: Malgré le fait que la marque "In the collection of Roushen" soit assimilée pour les pièces chinoises à la période Kangxi, les bleus de Huê sont de la période Tu Duc (1848-1883).