Plate 118: Double Thorn & Anemone Rose, from "A New Book of Chinese Designs"

Photostatic reproduction of plate 118 of 'A New Book of Chinese Designs', consisting of a title page, index, and 120 plates, etched and published in 1754 by the British caricaturist, printseller and ornamental engraver Matthew Darly, in collaboration with George Edwards. The book consists of a variety of ornamental and costume designs of Chinese inspiration, some of them copies of the original works (including the title).

This plate represents a double thorn and anemone rose plants. On the center, three large, square-shaped rocks stand above the water, flanked by thin, long leaves, bamboo (?) branches with bundles of leaves, and a bundle of interlacing branches with flowers and flower buds. On the left, standing on a platform fenced with two rails with geometric designs, under the shade provided by the plants, is a couple of a Chinese man and a woman. On the right, a large bundle of anemones and flower buds floats above the water. A thin branch lies horizontally underneath the central scene, with flowers and flower buds growing from it. Two mountains are seen in the background, with two elevated houses and a small sailboat nearby. Small butterflies are flying near the plants, on the upper right part of the sheet.