Unknown Maker, Chinese

This plate represents a niche market for Chinese export porcelain. This example and wares like it were primarily produced for British citizens living in India in the late 1700s. Whereas the plate largely represents the Western aesthetics that audience favored, the decoration draws from a variety of sources. Arabesque and scalloped motifs surround the Indian elephant and rider with a densely patterned layer of bianco-sopra-bianco (white-on-white) decoration.