18TH CENTURY

This moon flask is beautifully enameled and is unusual in presenting its bold figural subjects without any decorative borders. The animals on either side combine to create a hidden wish, as the birds are a pun for jue, ‘noble rank’ and the deer provide the homophone for lu, ‘emolument.’ Together with the monkey (hou) and bees or wasps (feng) on the opposite side, they form the rebus juelu fenghou, ‘May you receive high rank and emolument’. The six bats on the neck and sides bring additional wishes for happiness and blessings.