A VERY RARE PUCE-DECORATED 'EEL-CARTOUCHE' TOPOGRAPHICAL MARINE PLATE Qianlong period, circa 1755 Boldly enameled in rich puce-pink tones ( en camaieu rose) across the center with a European merchant ship in full sail in front of a European port, likely Amsterdam, the scene set within a highly unusual 'eel' cartouche depicting the fish encircling the scene and biting its own tail to complete the cartouche, the cavetto with neatly delineated iron-red and gilt spearheads, and the wavy-rimmed border with puce panels of various cell patterns leafy grounds with lappets and loosely-painted flowers. 9in (23cm) diam Footnotes: 乾隆時期 約1755年 罕見堆紅描金《鰻魚開光邊飾》航海誌盤 Published Cohen & Cohen, Baroque & Roll, Antwerp, 2015, p. 82-83, no. 54 出版： 倫敦Cohen & Cohen古董行，《Baroque & Roll》，安特衛普，2015年，頁82-83，圖版編號54 Only a few plates of this scene are recorded. It appears to have been a private order for a ship's captain or supercargo. The highly unusual depiction of an eel biting its tail, is here probably meant to represent an 'ouroboros', an ancient symbol, often depicted as a snake or dragon eating its tail, was popular among freemasons, who made up a fair portion of men in the China trade. The choice of an eel rather than a snake seems wholly appropriate for a seafaring commission, particularly, a Dutch one, where eel was a delicacy. The flag on the ship depicted might be a Dutch one and the port buildings in the background appear to be a view of Amsterdam, although a direct print source has yet to be found. Prints of this sort depicting Amsterdam were common in the eighteenth century. (fig. 1) References: Hervouet & Bruneau, 1986, p. 37, no. 2.4, another example from the Groninger Museum.