173.
A PAIR OF ‘FAMILLE VERTE’ DISHES
Qing dynasty, Kangxi period, early 18th century
24 cm diam each
Provenance: Naples, Villa della Floridiana, Museo Duca di Martina, Placido de Sangro (1829-1891) collection.
inv. nn. 3922, 3926.
The well of both the dishes with peonies and a phoenix flying, the rim with a ground of lozenges and half corollas interrupted by four reserves, two of them with a fish, the other two with a shrimp.
The combination of a phoenix (fenghuang) and peonies (fuguihua), respectively the ‘King of birds’ with the ‘King of flowers’, augur great blessings and prosperity and represent the pun “May there be wealth, rank and good fortune”.
