A FAMILLE VERTE 'TWO CRICKETS' WINE CUP

18th/19th century

18th/19th century
The shallow rounded sides rising to a gently flaring rim, enamelled around the exterior in green, iron-red, yellow and aubergine with a pair of crickets amongst flowering plants and rockwork, wood stand. 6cm (2 3/8in) diam. (2).

十八/十九世紀 五彩草蟲紋盃

Provenance:
Parry Collection, London, and thence by descent

來源：
倫敦Parry家族舊藏，並由後人保存迄今

Crickets are associated with spring and summer, but are more often represented in Chinese art due to the homophonous relationship of their name with 'happiness', Xi, and auspiciousness, Xi. A pair of crickets represents the wish for double-happiness or auspiciousness, Shuang Xi.

Compare with a related blue and white wine cup, circa 1725, salvaged from the Ca Mau wreck, decorated with cricket amidst flowers, in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, acc.no.FE.179-2007.

蟋蟀這一傳統鳴蟲，自古便是被吟詠的對象。因其諧音「喜來」，如本例繪有兩隻蟋蟀者，則有雙喜臨門，喜事不斷之意。

倫敦維多利亞和阿爾伯特博物館館藏一例於金甌沉船（Ca Mau wreck）出水的約1725年青花酒盃，器身繪蟋蟀草蟲紋，館藏編號FE.179-2007，可為參照。