A UNIQUE ACTOR'S PUNCH BOWL DEPICTING A SCENE FROM 'CORIOLANUS' Qianlong period, circa 1750-65 Boldly enameled on the exterior on both sides in an unusual palette, principally shades of black and red, with an elaborate scene of a European warrior wearing elaborate armor standing in front of a throne and addressing ladies kneeling before him dressed in medieval robes, a large battlemented castle occupying the background, the interior decorated with a simulated-black-ink roundel depicting 'Autumn' referring to the Scottish poet James Thomson (1700-1748) and his 1730 poem of that title. 15 1/2in (39cm) diam Footnotes: 乾隆時期 約1750-65年 釉上彩繪《科利奧蘭納斯》之一幕潘趣酒碗 Published: Cohen & Cohen, Angels & Demonslayers, Hong Kong, 2012, pp. 68-69, no. 40 Cohen & Cohen, Baroque & Roll, Antwerp, 2015, pp. 106-108, no. 67 出版： 倫敦Cohen & Cohen古董行，《Angels & Demonslayers》，香港，2012年，頁68-69，圖版編號40 倫敦Cohen & Cohen古董行，《Baroque & Roll》，安特衛普，2015年，頁106-108，圖版編號67 This unique punch bowl is decorated with a scene, repeated on the opposite side, of the actor James Quin (1693-1766) as Coriolanus on stage at Covent Garden in 1749, taken from a print titled 'Mr. Quin as Coriolanus' published by Carrington Bowles (circa 1695-1767). The print is known in two versions: one published by Bowles (one version in the British museum, another in the Victoria and Albert Museum); the other by B. Dickinson which has additional verses singing the praises of the actress Margaret ('Peg') Woffington (1720-1760), an example of which is in the Royal Collection, Buckingham Palace. (fig. 1) James Quin, a London-based actor of Irish descent, was one of the foremost actors of his day, and - along with David Garrick- dominated the London stage in the second quarter of the eighteenth century. His character is summarized, not entirely enthusiastically, by his literary contemporary Tobias Smollett in 'Humphrey Clinker:' 'As an actor his manner was charged with an excess of gravity and deliberation; his pauses were so portentous as in some situations to appear even ludicrous, but he was well fitted for the delivery of Milton's poetry, and for the portrayal of the graver roles in his repertory'; an actor clearly well suited to the lugubrious tone of Thomson's tragedy 'Coriolanus'. One of his lifelong friends, the Scottish playwright and poet James Thomson (1700-1748) wrote a series of long poems as well as many plays. Thomson is most famous now for having written the words for 'Rule Britannia.' In 1746 Thomson completed his version of 'Coriolanus', which differs significantly from Shakespeare's. For a extensive discussion of this play, and the actors, writers and printers, associated with this bowl see the online summary: https://www.cohenandcohen.co.uk/objectdetail/772508/17665/chinese-export-porcelain-punchbowl (accessed November 8, 2022)