A RARE PUCE-ENAMELED 'DUTCH FOLLY FORT' PLATE Qianlong period, circa 1750 Unusually enameled simply in rich puce with an extensive scene in the Pearl River depicting the key topographical element, the 'Dutch Folly Fort', one of only two forts constructed initially by Chinese military advisers to protect access to the central trading area in the port city of Canton. 9in (23cm) diam Footnotes: 乾隆時期 約1750年 罕見堆紅《荷蘭海堡》盤 Provenance: Collection Hervouët, Monaco Kenneth Main Collection, Naples, Florida 來源： 摩納哥Hervouët舊藏 佛羅里達，那不勒斯Kenneth Main舊藏 Although constructed in the first instance by Chinese builders to protect the higher reaches of the Pearl River below Canton, there is little sign that these two Folly Forts ever played a significant military role in the practical defense of Canton; indeed, both forts finally ended up settled respectively by Dutch and French occupiers, hence the name of this example. Sargent also records that the Dutch were given permission to set up a hospital on the island, but later were discovered to be bringing in guns. The images of the Forts never seem to suggest any significant military activity, although the lower reaches of the Pearl River were supposedly plagued by swarms of pirates concealed in easy hiding places along the winding river banks, heading downriver to the South China Seas. This may have prompted the original motivation for creating these, as observation towers to monitor threatening visitors of all kinds. For a discussion of the Folly forts and an illustration of the Peabody Essex Museum's later blue and white platter showing one, see Sargent 2012.