This wonderful small famille rose plate is decorated with two ‘Lange Lijs’ figures in a garden. The extremely thin ceramics is called egg-shell porcelain. This type of porcelain was primarily popular during the Qing dynasty under the reign of emperor Yongzheng that lasted from 1722 til 1735. The porcelain is so delicate that it is translucent and seems to exist of merely glaze.
Egg-shell porcelain from the Yongzheng period is characterised by the high quality of both the porcelain and the decoration. This can be explained as the production is comparatively expensive due to the risks for the manufacturer. The fine porcelain is prone to damage during the baking process (50 percent bantlings was not uncommon). Also with decorating the objects had to be handled with extreme care. For that reason, only the most experienced potters and painters ventured to the delicate production.
