A pair of Chinese blue and white 'botanical' dishes after Maria Sybilla Merian, Qianlong

Dia.: 26,5 cm

Chinese porcelain with this decoration was almost certainly produced for the Dutch market, appearing both in underglaze blue and gilt, as well as in famille rose enamels. The design likely derives from botanical drawings in the style of the Dutch-Swiss naturalist Maria Sibylla Merian (1646–1717), who travelled to Surinam and published her celebrated Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium in Holland in 1705 (and later in France in 1771 as Histoire Générale des Insectes de Surinam et de toute l’Europe). It has also been suggested that the border motifs and floral elements relate to designs by Cornelis Pronk, the Dutch draughtsman commissioned by the VOC during the same period.

Ref.: 
- Bonhams New York, 24 January 2013, lot 55 for an identical, slightly smaller, pair. (sold USD 4.080,00) (link)
- Christie's Amsterdam, 13 December 2012, lot 505 for an identical, slightly smaller, pair. (sold EUR 3.000,00) (link)

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(UV-checked)
- One plate is generally in very good condition, with some small superficial chips to the rim.
- One plate with some small superficial chips to the rim and a glaze line to the backside of the rim.

品相報告：（已用紫外線光檢查）
- 一個盤子整體品相非常良好，口沿有一些小飛皮。
- 一個盤子的口沿有一些小飛皮，口沿背面有一條驚釉線。

Hamerprijs incl. commissie: € 845