Unknown Maker, Chinese

This platter is a feast for the eyes, from the animal leg encircled by a ribboned garland to the scenes of hunting and fishing to the imagery of fruits, vegetables, fish, and game. With some 200 custom pieces still in existence, this service is one of the most engaging sets of Chinese export porcelain made in the 1700s.

The inscribed banner, broken inscription, and family crest around the rim indicate that the service was commissioned by Portuguese nobleman Dom Gaspar de Saldanha de Albuquerque, rector of the University of Coimbra and prelate of the Patriarchal Church of Lisbon.