Porcelain Cup And Saucer, "east India Company," China, 18th–19th Century

A set consisting of a cylindrical cup with a handle and a saucer, both made of white porcelain and decorated with polychrome enamels in the “Famille Rose” style, in accordance with the tradition of Chinese manufacturers producing goods for export to Europe—a typical product of the East India Company.

The reserves depict scenes of Chinese domestic life: court ladies in elegant gowns (pink, jade green, light blue), a boy in an orange tunic playing, hens and a rooster, and a lacquered side table with a marbled top on which rests a vase of peonies.

The inner rim of the cup and the rim of the saucer are adorned with a continuous garland of gilded leaves and flowers, a recurring ornamental motif in Qianlong/Jiaqing-period pieces produced for export. The rim of the cup and the handle are finished in gold.