This scene depicts a family in Western dress. They are grouped around a table, on which an unusual cross and a dish with food, have been placed. The formal arrangement of the figures, and the pet dog and monkey seated on either side of a potted plant in the foreground, suggest a special occasion. The formality of the scene suggests a family portrait. Such pieces were popular export items for Europe at the end of the 17th century. They have erroneously been called the ‘Governor Duff’ group, in reference to Duivver, the Governor of the Dutch East India Company, who was in office during the period 1729-1731.Dehua, located on the southeast coast of Fujian province, is well known for its production of white porcelain, known to Europeans as 'blanc de Chine'. The earliest Dehua porcelain was produced as early as the 14th century but the production and quality of these porcelain peaked around the 17th and 18th centuries.
