Spring Orchid Plate

This elegant porcelain dish dates to the mid-19th century and is finely potted with thin walls and a short footed base. The top is delicately painted with an all-over pattern of orchid blossoms, a highly esteemed flower in Chinese art. Naturally found in remote mountain valleys, orchids embodied virtues of beauty, integrity, nobility, and refinement. The underside of the plate is brushed in red with simple bats, symbols of happiness and joy, and stamped with the reign mark of the Tongzhi emperor (1862-1873).