41 - A CHINESE KANGXI WUCAI OVER THE RIM CUP

A CHINESE KANGXI WUCAI OVER THE RIM CUP Dimensions: Height 3,8 cm Wide 4,5 cm Depth 4,5 cm Weight: 21 grams A small porcelain cup with a gently flaring mouth, straight lower walls and a narrow foot. Across the white ground, fine brown branches carry clusters of green leaves and rounded fruit picked out in warm orange-red. The decoration extends toward and over the rim, giving the miniature vessel a lively, asymmetrical composition. The pale interior and delicate outlines provide a quiet counterpoint to the bright enamels. Fruit-bearing branches are a familiar theme in Chinese decorative arts, where the natural cycle of flowering and abundance can carry auspicious associations. Here the painter uses the limited surface of a small cup with particular economy, allowing the curving branch to lead the eye around the vessel. What is immediately evident is the confident balance of blank porcelain, fine line and fresh colour.