Chinese Blue & White – The Cup
The wealth of designs on Chinese Blue and White Porcelain is astounding and is far more broad than one might expect, from Turner’s version of the “Willow Pattern”. My joy in collecting Chinese Blue and white is to explore the diversity – and small coffee cups are an inexpensive way to build up a substantial base for research (and a nice display)
These late 18th Century Chinese cups are all hand painted, all blue and white and all very different different
Even these two cups from the same set are, obviously, painted by two totally different artists
These three cups are all of buildings. The first is a striking attempt at a Church – described but not seen. The second has bricks which I have not seen before on Chinese Porcelain and the third is so classically what the English expected, on their blue and white, that it could almost be a copy from an English Transfer Pattern.
The four bridges on the following three cups are, again, all different; yet the three willow trees are surprisingly similar. Note the superior quality of the painting in the centre cup to its fellow on the left. NB The fourth bridge is in the background of the third cup!
Three Cups and a bunch of Flowers!
Embellished with English Gilding and high detail
And Finally
A Sense of Humour and the wonkiest buffalo ever!