A FINE AND MAGNIFICENT CHINESE FAMILLE ROSE PORCELAIN PLATE, 18/19TH CENTURY. SEAL MARK AND PERIOD OF QIANLONG

Decorated with a central "Shou" surrounded by one hundred characters. Six character mark on the bottom. Diameter: 20 7/8 in (53 cm)Incorporating shou and wan characters in the design is a Qing period invention and can be seen on ceramic wares, such as the magnificent Kangxi jar, from the Palace Museum, included in the exhibition China. The Three Emperors, the Royal Academy of Arts, London, 2006, cat. no. 302. It is noted, ibid., p. 469, that the 'one hundred shou (long life) characters (baishou zi) written in different forms, some adhering more closely to conventional seal script than others, are popular decorative birthday motif...the figure 10,000 (wan), the highest number for which a special term and character exist in Chinese, is generally used to indicate an infinite number, 10,000 shou characters signifying eternal life.'

Good Condition