Blue and White Grasshopper Floral Lobed Dish

Kangxi Period (1662 – 1722)

Porcelain, underglaze cobalt blue

Jingdezhen, Jiangxi Province, China.

D: 22.5cm H: 4.5cm.

This blue and white dish is of an elegant lotus petal form. The outer panels feature nine different nature scenes including one depicting a pair of swimming ducks amongst lotuses and another of a pair of birds perched on a willow branch. The central panel features a stunning composition of chrysanthemum and peony flowers with spritely bees and grasshoppers dancing above them.

This dish is filled with auspicious symbols. Ducks depicted with lotus flowers symbolise a faithful marriage and fruitful offspring, while peonies are symbols of riches, love and affection. The combination of grasshoppers with chrysanthemum flowers is said to represent a high salary and rank, as grasshoppers are notoriously good at leaping forward.