Fish dish with strainer, the dish on a footring with a rim inside for the strainer, the perforated strainer on three low conical feet. Decorated in enamel colours with a scalloped medallion with depictions of chrysanthemums and various other scattered single flower sprays. The sides with four peaches and four leaf-shaped panels with a flower spray on a light brown ground with grey marbling. The strainer has been broken in the past and has been clamped. Chinese porcelain for the domestic market often has a decoration or ground imitating other materials, for example, woodgrain, lacquerwork, jade, bamboo or bronze. These effects occur less often on export porcelain. This rare fish dish has been painted to imitate marble or soapstone. The Van Diepen Collection also has a teacup and a dish decorated in this way (fig.93a) and it can be assumed that these pieces all formed part of a large dinner and tea service.