A rare Chinese Export “Four Elements ” plate depicting “Water”

Description:

China, early Qianlong period, ca. 1740
D. 23,2 cm
Decorated in the famille rose palette and depicting Galatea, a sea-nymph, in a shell-shaped chariot drawn by dolphins, being guided by a putti, two other putti grasping a shaded red and pink cloth which is billowing to form a canopy, sea-nymphs, tritons and other putti playing in the turbulent river and on the chariot, a reclining naked figure, possibly Acis, on a blue cloak on the river bank in the foreground observing the scene, within a blue enamel scrolling floral band at the rim.
German private collection, assembled before 2007
Plates with the blue enamel band are illustrated by Howard and Ayers in China for the West, London and New York, 1978, vol. I., p. 332, no. 328. The Cardinal Maurice of Savoy, who became later King of Sardinia, commissioned Francesco Albani (1578-1669) in 1635 to make a series of four circular paintings of the elements - Air, Water, Fire and Earth (now in the Galleria Sabauda in Turin). Later, sets of prints after the painting were made by a number of engravers, including Antoine Hérisset (1685-1769) and Jean-Louis Delignon (1755-1804), among others. One such set served as source for Chinese enamelers who decorated these piece. - Few very small chips under the rim, otherwise good condition