This large Chinese export porcelain charger was hand painted in the early 18th century in the Chinese Imari palette of underglaze cobalt blue, iron-red and peach-colored enamels, and gilding.
What makes this charger beautiful is the way color, scale, movement, and variety are controlled across a large surface.
Almost the entire surface is decorated. The first thing that catches the eye is the deep cobalt blue. It is unusually strong and gives the charger its visual structure. The decoration is set against a cool bluish-white glaze, which gives the charger a luminous surface and strengthens the contrast of the cobalt, iron-red, peach, and gilding.
The iron-red, peach, and gilding warm the blue and add richness.

The center is especially successful. The flower-filled basket is compact and richly colored, like a jewel at the center of the charger.
The border is also beautiful.
Across the broad rim, scrolling branches painted in strong cobalt blue connect large stylized flowers and fan-shaped floral reserves, while two lobed reserves frame detailed waterside landscape scenes.
The charger is filled with beautiful individual details, which come together to form a remarkable whole.

The reverse is painted with two flowering prunus branches and bears an underglaze-blue lingzhi mark within a double circle.
This combination of reverse decoration, mark, and Imari-style painting is characteristic of Chinese export porcelain made during the early decades of the 18th century.
Chinese potters developed these richly colored wares in response to the popularity of Japanese Imari porcelain in Europe, creating their own distinctive interpretation for the Western market.
Origin: China
Date: Circa 1720–1730
Material: Porcelain
Marks: Underglaze-blue lingzhi mark within a double circle; flowering prunus branches on the reverse
Dimensions: 13.75″ diameter × 1.5″ high
Condition: Excellent, with very slight rubbing to the gilding
Price: $2,200