A vibrantly enameled Chinese export porcelain 8″ plate decorated with a central Mandarin boating scene within a very richly painted outer border of birds, butterflies, and flowers against a gilded ground. The scene appears idyllic enough, but the story goes that courtesans often operated these boats of pleasure as we see here with a lovely lady seductively playing a stringed instrument while a family’s boat is passing by and a young man’s attentions are aroused by the music as his father beckons him from within their boat to pay no heed.  Very good condition. Circa 1820. $675.00