Enameled Ginger Jar with Children at Play

Contrasted by a crisp white field, this oval jar is decorated in the famille rose style with a lively scene of young children playing in a courtyard garden. Under an overarching bamboo tree and flowering branch, a young girl is perched atop a stone while three boys entertain themselves with various objects. One is playing a reed organ (sheng), another a lantern, and the other a lotus flower. This depicts a popular theme in Chinese decorative arts, conveying a wish for many successful sons. The jar is complete with a brushwork of Chinese calligraphy on the back and lid.