Physical description Porcelain plate, painted in blue under a crackled glaze. The plate has a narrow slanting rim and is painted with figures of an old man and a youth beside two fir trees in a landscape. Above them is a Chinese inscription which reads: "Beneath the fir-tree (The old man) enquires of the youth (he replies) My master has ascended the hills to search for medicinal herbs." Place of Origin China (made) Date mid 18th century (made) Artist/maker Unknown Materials and Techniques Porcelain painted in blue under a crackled glaze Marks and inscriptions 'Beneath the fir-tree / (The old man) enquires of the youth / (he replies) My master has ascended the hills / To search for medicinal herbs' followed by four characters Chinese inscription. The last four characters of inscription are probably name or names of makers or their trade-mark, not part of the poetry 'Chenghua nian zhi' mark in blue on base Made in the Chenghua period Dimensions Diameter: 14.3 cm Object history note "The big bowl, the little blue bowl and the green celadon plate with fisherman in blue all came from the village of Foi-tsai, Hakka speaking territory, 60 miles inland from Swatow. These things said to have been the remnants of the property of a wealthy sugar merchant executed in the North about 100 years ago." See also C.185, 186, 230-1912. Descriptive line Dish decorated with two figures in landscape, porcelain painted in blue under a crackled glaze, China, Qing dynasty, mid 18th century (with Chenghua mark) Production Note Register Materials Porcelain; Cobalt oxide; Celadon Techniques Blue and white; Glazed Subjects depicted Tree, fir; Figures Categories Ceramics; Porcelain Collection East Asia Collection
Physical description Porcelain plate, painted in blue under a crackled glaze. The plate has a narrow slanting rim and is painted with figures of an old man and a youth beside two fir trees in a landscape. Above them is a Chinese inscription which reads: "Beneath the fir-tree (The old man) enquires of the youth (he replies) My master has ascended the hills to search for medicinal herbs." Place of Origin China (made) Date mid 18th century (made) Artist/maker Unknown Materials and Techniques Porcelain painted in blue under a crackled glaze Marks and inscriptions 'Beneath the fir-tree / (The old man) enquires of the youth / (he replies) My master has ascended the hills / To search for medicinal herbs' followed by four characters Chinese inscription. The last four characters of inscription are probably name or names of makers or their trade-mark, not part of the poetry 'Chenghua nian zhi' mark in blue on base Made in the Chenghua period Dimensions Diameter: 14.3 cm Object history note "The big bowl, the little blue bowl and the green celadon plate with fisherman in blue all came from the village of Foi-tsai, Hakka speaking territory, 60 miles inland from Swatow. These things said to have been the remnants of the property of a wealthy sugar merchant executed in the North about 100 years ago." See also C.185, 186, 230-1912. Descriptive line Dish decorated with two figures in landscape, porcelain painted in blue under a crackled glaze, China, Qing dynasty, mid 18th century (with Chenghua mark) Production Note Register Materials Porcelain; Cobalt oxide; Celadon Techniques Blue and white; Glazed Subjects depicted Tree, fir; Figures Categories Ceramics; Porcelain Collection East Asia Collection