Saucer

The saucer is complete, except for a small chip at the top of the rim and under the inner rim. It is circular in shape; in profile, it has a straight rim and a flared wall, curved at the base; the bottom is flat and rests on an annular foot, triangular in cross-section. The base is flat and free of glaze; the decoration almost completely covers the saucer and is divided into three areas: under the inner rim, on the inner wall and base, and on the outer wall. It is hand-painted in underglaze blue and overglaze polychrome. It depicts a lakeside landscape. The blue-painted decoration under the inner rim appears to be composed of a narrow braid, traced in blue and trimmed with hollow pearls, which are interrupted by alternating wavy and oval medallions; it is covered with highlights. Short straight and curved branches emerge from the base of the braid. The main decoration, on the background and wall and painted in blue, is a lake scene; it is composed of four islets of different sizes, spread over a lake, whose waves are suggested by horizontal lines painted in blue, with highlights painted in red. The main islet is in the lower right-hand section of the scene. Painted in blue, it stretches to below the decorative border. It supports a single-storey pavilion, seen from the front, with door and window, and topped by a Chinese-style roof with three vertical decorative elements. The pavilion is surrounded by two trees, a deciduous one on the right and a willow tree on the left. The pavilion has an exterior staircase, and the front lot is enclosed by a fence parallel to the pavilion; the fence, on the left on the lake side, makes two angled hooks toward the interior of the lot in front of the pavilion. Outside the fence, on the lake shore, stands a fisherman, seen in profile, holding a pole above the water. On the lake, above the fisherman, there is a small boat seen in profile to the right, manoeuvred by an oarsman. Above the boat, a small islet is suggested by a flat line. Above this is a larger islet painted blue; undulating, it houses a pavilion or temple at its summit, surrounded by two blue-painted trees, probably conifers, and two others, painted over and described below. To the right of this islet is a fourth; painted blue, it appears to be topped by a rock. It has three trees, painted on the blanket and described below. The braid under the inner edge, painted blue, is overpainted red: a line, straight at the top and wavy at the base, encircles it, and it is filled in with parallel lines painted obliquely. All the elements of the main scene, painted in underglaze blue on the background, are enhanced with touches of transparent red, to which gold highlights have been added, outlining the dominant shapes. In addition, both the braid and the main scene are adorned with polychrome overglaze highlights. On the braid, alternating wavy and oval medallions, enhanced with pearls, are painted in green, white, pink, black and yellow enamels. Pearls, imitating flowers, have also been added to all the islets in the main scene, while tufts of grass, outlined in black and painted green, have been added to the lake. Finally, trees, also outlined in black and painted green with red highlights, have been added to some of the islets. The outer wall features three leafy branches painted in red in succession and arranged in a triangle. Finally, the top of the rim is covered with a gold fillet.