Charger, anonymous, c. 1700 - c. 1725
platter, d 50cm More details
The central motif of this charger was copied directly from Japanese Kakiemon porcelain. However, Westerners gave their own names and meanings to plants and animals on Asian ceramics. Bamboo, for example, was known in Europe as the tea tree, owing to Asia’s association with tea. The decoration around the centre is entirely Western: two borders of foliate scrolls interspersed with winged putti.
