A Chinese armorial plate with the arms of Valckenier of Amsterdam for the Dutch market, Qianlong, ca. 1735–40

Dia.: 22,9 cm

This plate belongs to the “Valckenier 5” service, one of the most distinctive Dutch armorial services made in China. Commissioned by Governor-General Adriaan Valckenier during his tenure in Batavia (1737–1741), it combines European grisaille town views with a richly coloured armorial centre. The town at the right is believed to depict Cleves in Germany, where a relative of Valckenier lived, while another view may show his residence in Batavia.

The service was likely produced around 1737–1738 to mark the centenary of Ida Valckenier’s birth. About 100 plates of this Valckenier 5 grisaille type are known today, mostly preserved in European museum and family collections.

Ref.:
- Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, inv. no. AK-RBK-1969-152 for a comparable example.(link)
- Metropolitan Museum of Art New York, inv. no. 58.155.1 for an identical example.(link)
- Christie's New York, 21 JAN 2016, lot 27, for a comparable pair. (sold USD 16,250) (link)
Lit.:
- J.Kroes, Chinese Armorial Porcelain for the Dutch Market, p. 26, cat. no. 132. for the arms and an identical example.

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