CHINE, DYNASTIE QING, MARQUE A SIX CARACTERES EN CACHET EN BLEU SOUS COUVERTE ET EPOQUE QIANLONG (1735-1796)

Squirrels climbing amidst grapevines is a motif often seen on Qing dynasty decorative objects, such us in porcelains, jades or cloisonné enamel. In Chinese, squirrels allude to a pun with pines, symbol of longevity. Grapevines signify abundance. Together, they illustrate good wishes for long life and abundance. Compare with a pair of bowls of similar size in the Art Gallery, Chinese University of Hong Kong, see Qing Imperial Porcelain from the Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong Reigns, pl. 76. Another with a Kangxi mark is in the Grandidier Collection of the Musée Guimet, illustrated in Oriental Ceramics, The World's Great Collections, 1981, vol. 7, no. 108.