The plate after a French silver form and decorated in the famille rose palette, features with a central reserve depicting two Europeans interacting on a terrace beneath the shadow of a tree. The gentleman, carrying a sword at his waist, holds a bird in his left hand and he approaches the other man who is seated on a rock. The rim is painted with a bianco-sopra-bianco floral design and small flowers buds. The reverse is not decorated.
For a pair of tureens and stands, see Paulo Cunha Alves, Filomena Cunha Alves, From East To West The Quest For Chinese Export Porcelain With Western Themes (1695-1815), 2016, pp. 177/179, no. 107/108.
The porcelain produced according to European examples, or bearing decoration following Western examples is referred to as Chine de Commande. The scene is not common, as it blends Chinese with European elements : the two European figures are shown in a traditional Chinese setting with a garden, a fence and a few trees while the figures are depicted in a European style. The inspiration source of this scene remains unknown.
The profession of bird catcher has existed since the Middle Ages, yet it reached its zenith during the 17th and 18th centuries, when songbirds became the favored attraction of the nobility. The musical education of birds was highly esteemed among the aristocracy, with the most prestigious feathered companions being the serins, celebrated for their melodious song and docility, as well as the wild canaries imported from Spain. The role of birdcatcher involves capturing these birds and teaching them, while they are still young, to sing in complete darkness, by playing melodies with a flageolet (a small flute) or with a serinette (a musical box), or sometimes even by whistling specially composed tunes for them.
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