Dish with the story of "Hob in the Well"

Factory Chelsea Porcelain Manufactory British

ca. 1755

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 201

Identified by the Chelsea factory as "Hob in the Well," the theme on this plate is reputed to have come from the hero of the play The Country Wake, written and first produced by Thomas Doggett (1660–1721) in 1696. Although it is not known how the name and composition came to be associated, it is clear that this representation of the scene is based on the Japanese version of the Chinese story of Sima Guang.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

Title: Dish with the story of "Hob in the Well"
Factory: Chelsea Porcelain Manufactory (British, 1744–1784)
Date: ca. 1755
Culture: British, Chelsea
Medium: Soft-paste porcelain painted with colored enamels over transparent glaze
Dimensions: Length: 8 in. (20.3 cm)
Classification: Ceramics-Porcelain
Credit Line: The Hans Syz Collection, Gift of Stephan B. Syz and John D. Syz, 1995
Object Number: 1995.268.171
Curatorial Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

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Dish with the Chinese story of Sima Guang, Hard-paste porcelain painted with colored enamels over transparent glaze (Hizen ware; Kakiemon type), Japanese, for European market — Dish with the Chinese story of Sima Guang
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