Mandarin Sugar Basin, mandarin handle

The Miramare pattern was originally created for the Miramare palace of the doomed Mexican Emperor Maximilian. The Miramare pattern is painted with underglaze cobalt blue. In the foreground of the design stands a fruit tree laden with fruit and a building looking a little like a watchtower. In the background is a pagoda with a ruin beside it. The richly gilded garland does not create a cluttered feel; it is perfectly in keeping with the tastes of the period.