This vase is part of a set of vases called garnitures.

This elegant plate was made for the van Herzeele family of Holland whose arms and those of another family can be seen at center. The arms are surmounted by a coronet supported by a white griffin and yellow lion. The ground of the well is beautifully painted with an overall opaque white enamel design of leaf scrolls in a technique known as bianco sopra bianco.

The naturalistically painted carp, which seems to approach us three-dimensionally, provides the only color on this shaped tureen stand or platter outside of the gold fishnet and spearhead border and the four floral sprigs. Perhaps inspired by a Portuguese Baroque silver or faience prototype, this stand was probably made for the Portuguese market.

This octagonal plate is one of three of the same pattern in the Reves Collection (see 1985.R.1085 and 1985.R.1086), It is a well painted continuation of the late K'ang Hsi famille verte palette of translucent green, iron-red, and purple.

Since porcelain could be made and decorated cheaper in China than in Europe, models were sent to China to be copied. This shell-handled tureen was probably copied from a Meissen porcelain prototype which, in turn, relies on an earlier European silver form. The enamel harbor scenes with black and iron-red cartouches are similar to those found on European porcelain.

In the late 17th century, aristocratic European taste moved away from imported blue and white porcelains, and people were willing to pay more for the polychrome enamels exported to Jingdezhen.

In the late 17th century, aristocratic European taste moved away from imported blue and white porcelains, and people were willing to pay more for the polychrome enamels exported to Jingdezhen.

In the late 17th century, aristocratic European taste moved away from imported blue and white porcelains, and people were willing to pay more for the polychrome enamels exported to Jingdezhen.

In the late 17th century, aristocratic European taste moved away from imported blue and white porcelains, and people were willing to pay more for the polychrome enamels exported to Jingdezhen.

In the late 17th century, aristocratic European taste moved away from imported blue and white porcelains, and people were willing to pay more for the polychrome enamels exported to Jingdezhen.