Dish
This dish illustrates a range of Chinese plants, including peonies, narcissus, and orchids. The presence of differently colored blooms on the same peony branch shows evidence of grafting, a practice that was described in China as early as 1034. Although originally made for a Chinese private commission, such dishes would have appealed to Western traders interested in natural history, who acquired plants from local markets and nurseries. By capturing these flowers in enamel, such a dish might have provided a more secure means of bringing home botanical knowledge.
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