QIANLONG FOUR-CHARACTER WHEEL-CUT MARK WITHIN A DOUBLE SQUARE AND OF THE PERIOD (1736-1795)

The Imperial Glass Workshop was established in the 35th year of Kangxi's reign (1696) under the management of the Zaobanchu (Imperial Palace Workshop) located at Yangxin Dian (Hall of Mental Cultivation). The Glass Workshop enjoyed strong Imperial patronage which greatly increased the status of this material whose original principal function was imitation of jade and other precious stones. However, it was not until the Qianlong period that glass was made on a grand scale and glass-making reached its peak. Notably, between the 5th and 18th years of the Qianlong reign, Jesuit missionary Gabriel-Leonard de Brossard, S.J. (1703-1758) contributed greatly to advancements in the Imperial Workshop’s glassmaking techniques- under his influence, the glass formula was refined, producing pieces with a smoother texture and more uniform colouration. The vibrant yellow hue and flawless evenness of the current lot strongly suggests it was created during this period, exemplifying the zenith of imperial glassmaking.

Compare to an almost identical example with the same mark in the collection of the Kyoto National Museum, collection no.: GK584. Another similar-sized yellow glass bottle vase of Qianlong period, with slightly tapered neck, is in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, collection no.: gu00106291 (fig. 1).