Set comprising a pair of Famille Rose enameled porcelain cup - Lot 197

Set comprising a pair of Famille Rose enameled porcelain cups and saucers with "Wu Shuang Pu" decoration of calligraphic poems in reserves, the body fitted with a handle. The first saucer is decorated with a central medallion featuring Li Bai (701-762) also known as Qinglian Jushi 李青蓮, a famous poet with Taoist influences, surrounded on one side by the figure of Su Ruo Lan (351-381) 蘇若蘭 and Xie An (320-385) 晋太傅 (Xie Anshi, Xie Gong, Jin Tai Fu), statesman of the Jin dynasty (265-420). The second saucer with similar decoration adorned with the figure of Tao Yuan Ming (365-427) 陶渊明 one of the most important poets of the pre-Tang period and Yang Hu (c. 221-278) 羊叔子 great general of the Jin dynasty. Six-character Xianfeng mark in iron red under the base of each piece. China, 19th century, Xianfeng period (1850-1861). Height: 7 cm. Diameter: 10.5 cm. Diameter of saucers: 15.5 cm. (Cracks and lead restorations to one cup, the second in good condition, tiny chips). Xianfeng porcelain is renowned for the quality of its glazes and the finesse of its decoration. Very much in vogue during the reign of this emperor, porcelains featuring this type of decoration alternating calligraphy in reserves and full-length historical figures were inspired by the Wu Shuang Pu 無雙譜 known as the "Table of Unsurpassed Heroes", a famous collection of woodcuts by the painter Jin Shi 金史 presenting, among calligraphic texts, portraits of 40 important figures from the Jin and Song dynasties.