This dish has a gilt floral border encircling a centre enamelled with the arms of the Swedish noble family, Gyllenborg, against smoky greyish ‘clouds’. Some scholars have theorised that the drawing of the coat of arms had smeared enroute to China resulting in the smoky effect which was dutifully copied by the Chinese porcelain painters onto ware commissioned by Count Frederik Gyllenborg(1698-1759).This is an interesting example of how designs sent from Europe were occasionally misinterpreted by the Chinese painters who executed the patterns. It suggests how European orders were closely followed by the Chinese artisans.
