“Milk and Blood” is Chinese export porcelain, the decoration of which was applied exclusively in iron red and gold on the glaze. It was produced in the early decades of the 18th century, during the late reign of Emperor Kangxi (1662-1722) and also under Emperor Yongzheng (1723-1735). It is a subgroup of Chinese Imari. It was probably regarded less as a utility but rather as a show porcelain and distinctly beautiful or representation porcelain. The objects, decorated in overglaze with iron-red and gold, were especially valued in the Northern Netherlands provinces of Groningen and Friesland. In fact, recent research has concluded that this type of porcelain was probably produced especially for Groningen and Friesland. Shown is a rare Chinese porcelain bag and matching saucer, overglaze hand-painted with iron red and gold. Such decor is called ‘milk and blood’, especially made for Holland (Groningen). A butterfly is painted on the saucer in the center of the shelf, surrounded by a circular line. The rest of the shelf, transition and border are divided into two large and six small panels. In the small panels we see a peony branch and on the other side a complete filling with iron red with gilded grid pattern with a chrysanthemum flower in the center. The two cavernous panels show on a milky white glaze a decor in iron red and gold of a lotus flower and daisies. The edge is bordered with a band in iron red with connecting triangles with gilded parallel gilt stripes. The back has a light bluish glaze with a large base ring. The outside of the tron ​​conical bag has an analogous decor to the bottom bag. It has a white cylindrical inwardly extending base. Internally we see a band-shaped frieze like the saucer. At the bottom we see a branch with leaves and a flower. Bag and saucer were made during the Qing dynasty, late Kangxi imperial period, ca. 1700-1720.

Condition: the bag has three tiny chips on the edge and one on the base ring, limited glaze loss on the outside of the binding; the saucer has a small chip on the base ring. Overall, however, very well preserved, including the gold.