Chinese
Miniature Garden, late 19th century
Ceramic, jade and various stones, 56 cm (22 1/16 in.)
Miniature ceramic Chinese garden, the centerpiece of which is a cherry blossom tree with several knots to the trunk. The naturalistic painted trunk is two-toned with faint vertical stripes. The branches are relatively short and bear many pink flowers and clear flowers. The clear flowers have five petals surrounding copious yellow stamens that surround mother-of-pearl buttons in the center. The pink flowers are mostly buds. Two long, thin branches jut out at an angle from the base of the tree and extend less than halfway up. Opposite these branches on the other side of the trunk is a small carved white stone figure of an elderly person carrying supplies on their back. Also against the trunk is a red mushroom. Further away is a short, wide green stone carved into a punctured T-shape, vaguely resembling a bench. It is turquoise with curvy black lines throughout. Surrounding all of these things at the base is a tangle of additional clear and pink flowers as well as metal leaves of various sizes. The base of the garden is a sky blue rectangular footed planter with curved edges, flared lip, and faded gilt borders. The lip has a small Greek key pattern border, and the body underneath is decorated with multicolored lotus flowers of light pink, white, dark pink, light green, yellow, sea green, and dark blue. There is a dense vine pattern throughout of mostly sea green with some light green. At the center of each of the four sides is a cartouche outlined in dark blue. It does not interrupt the lotus motif.
Ceramic, jade and various stones, 56 cm (22 1/16 in.)