Coutinho, 1st Viscount of Balsemão, would
have ordered two services at the same time
with the same decoration, differing only in
the rather showy mantle displayed on this
piece.
Castro e Solla published a similar plate from
the former Augusto C. de Campos e Souza
Collection 2 and Nuno de Castro another
from the former Jorge Veiga Collection, Rio
de Janeiro. 3
1 Heraldic description by MLCB.
2 Solla, 1928 (1992 edition), vol. I, plate XVII.
3 Castro, 1987, p. 187.
ARMORIAL CHINESE EXPORT PORCELAIN
. 141
466.
PLATE
PORCELAIN DECORATED IN
FAMILLE ROSE
ENAMELS AND
GOLD
QING DYNASTY, JIAQING PERIOD (1796-1820), CA. 1802
ARMS: PINTO
HEIGHT 2.5 CM; RIM DIAMETER 24.9;
FOOT DIAMETER 15 CM
INV. NO. 37
Shallow, circular plate with concave rim,
raised edge and tapered foot, finely potted in
very white porcelain and coated in an almost
clear glaze except for the foot ring, where
the whiteness of the clay is visible.
The decoration consists of European style
borders on the rim and in the cavetto with a
chain of leaves, small stars, and a dotted
band in sepia and gold. In the centre is the
coat of arms attributed to the Viscount of
Balsemão, decorated with a fanciful mantle. 1
The bottom half of the coat of arms is
wreathed by a garland of flowers painted in
famille rose
enamels, whereas the arms on
the covered dish (cat. 467) have no
decoration whatsoever.
It is surprising that Luís Pinto de Sousa