92 - A bowl and four sorbets with blue-and-white decoration, made in China for Vietnam, 19th century

A bowl and four sorbets with blue-and-white decoration, made in China for Vietnam, 19th century On the small dish and one of the sorbets, the main design depicts a lakeside landscape featuring two scholars seated on a rocky mound, engaged in drinking, with a gnarled pine tree towering above them. On the right, a boat glides along a river while the boatman wields his pole. A poetic inscription accompanies the scene. The inscription can be transcribed as follows: 对坐清谈世事 间看浅水行舟 - “Seated face to face, we calmly discuss the affairs of the world, while watching a boat glide across the shallow waters.” The other three sorbets feature two figures in a boat. One steers the boat with his pole toward a rocky islet adorned with a tree and a small pavilion, while the other sits under a parasol. On the back, a poem illustrates the scene: 月舟未泊岸 風雨已來霽—“The moonlit boat has not yet docked; the wind and rain have already passed, giving way to a clear sky.” Beneath the plate is a large “Tho” mark—壽 (longevity)—and beneath the sorbet cups is the “Nôi Phu” mark—內府 (Imperial Palace). Height of sorbet cups: 4.2 cm; diameter of bowl: 14.9 cm Chips.