Famille Rose Four Seasons Plate

During the 18th century, Europeans provided an eager market for Chinese export porcelain, especially the colorful and fanciful ware known as “famille rose.” Named for a palette of opaque overglaze enamels that favored roses and pinks, famille rose porcelain ware was crafted with the same technical virtuosity as imperial porcelain but designed for Western tastes.

This small famille rose plate from the late 19th century is painted with a common motif of four flowers, each symbolizing one of the four seasons. The lotus represents summer, the chrysanthemums represent autumn, the plum blossoms represent winter, and the peonies represent spring. Branching gracefully into the surrounding white field, each floral arrangement is positioned around a central peach, a symbol of longevity and marriage.

From the collection of Frances and Gary Comer.