Description

Famille rose enamels, the exterior with three panels enclosing the same cricketing scene, after the Francis Hayman engraving. Interior with a ship flying the Union flag. The name 'Thirxs' which appears on the stern of the ship might be Thirsk (the birthplace of Thomas Lord).

Display caption

This Chinese export punch bowl was produced in the Jiangxi Province of China, known for its fine bright white paper-thin porcelain. Decorated with a cricket scene after Francis Hayman’s ‘Cricket as played in the Mary-le-Bone’, this rare famile-rose porcelain enabled a great range of colours and tones to be produced. Hayman’s painting became famously associated with representing the game and was thus copied and reworked by a number of artists and engravers. The decoration on the bowl was initially engraved on a copper plate and later transferred on to the porcelain and hand painted in enamel colours before being fired in a kiln. This bowl was probably a special commission. The name ‘Thirxs’ which appears on the stern of the ship on the interior of the bowl might be ‘Thirsk’ the birth place of Thomas Lord.