This is a 7" tall and 6 1/2" wide, stunningly beautiful, meaningful piece of vintage porcelain that would be easily incorporated into any room's decor. Three adorable Asian children carrying a huge ripe peach, with cherub-like expressions on their faces. The white spot/circle on the left of the images is purely a reflection of light and not a mark on the piece. Hand painted in Famille Rose colors, The famille rose is characterized by that an opaque glassy white enamel (lead arsenate) is employed as the base for coloring garments or flower petals and that colored enamels are either mixed with white or brushed on top of it to created variations in tone. Typically the earlier enamels in this palette was applied with glue as its base which helped with building thick layers of enamels, while later versions are applied with the use of rue oil as a medium, which gives thinner layers.

Compared with the transparent famille verte enamels of the previous Kangxi period (kangxi wucai) this new opaque palette could be fired at a lower temperature and had a wider color range. It also appeared softer and gentler, hence its other name ruan cai (soft colors).

The Chinese god of longevity, known as Sau, is a symbol of the easy life, smooth living, and victory over strife. Attached to the end of his staff is a gourd, said to hold the elixir of life, or immortality. Sau is usually depicted holding a peach, the divine fruit of the gods.

The peach tree and all it’s components–the wood, fruit, blossoms and petals all carry different symbolic meanings in Chinese culture. The peach tree symbolizes longevity. The wood from the tree is said to ward off evil, and ancient warriors crafted weapons from it. The petals of peach blossoms have a history of use by Taoist magicians, and are known to put men into an intense trance of love. The peach tree blossoms during spring and is considered the ideal season for young couples to marry. The peach fruit, similar to the tree as a whole, symbolizes a long and healthy life. The fruit also bears associations of perpetual vitality. It is said that the Peach plant of immortality, located in the Kun Lun mountains, would produce fruit only once every 3,000 years. When this happened, the Eight Immortals (a legendary group of enlightened ancient beings) would gather and eat of the magic fruit, assuring their immortality.

The peach is often depicted in Chinese paintings, sculpture, pottery, clothing and food. This piece is in very good vintage condition, no chips or cracks. Any errant marks or lines on the images is due to ebay not removing the entire background (it was busy!).