A CHINESE FAMILLE ROSE 'MEDALLION' BOWL

the exterior enamelled with four medallions depicting Zhinü the weaver girl, Niulang the cowherd girl riding a buffalo, and two landscapes, the interior underglaze blue painted with Zhinü the weaver girl and Niulang the cowherd girl riding a buffalo all amongst magpies and clouds, bears underglaze blue mark. 15cm diameter

The bowl celebrates the Qixi Festival, also known as the Magpie Festival, which falls on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month on the lunar calendar. Chinese tradition tells the story of a young cowherd, Niulang, who falls in love with a beautiful girl, Zhinü, the seventh daughter of the Goddess, whose task was to weave colourful clouds. The Goddess was furious at their attachment and scratched a wide river in the sky with her hairpin to separate the two lovers forever, thus forming the Milky Way. However, once a year, all the magpies in the world fly up into heaven to form a bridge so that the lovers can be together for a single night.

Hairline crack issuing from the rim. There is a second hairline crack issuing from a rim chip.