A MASSIVE PAIR OF TURQUOISE GROUND VASES AND COVERS

GUANGXU/XUANTONG PERIOD (1875-1911)

Details

A MASSIVE PAIR OF TURQUOISE GROUND VASES AND COVERS
GUANGXU/XUANTONG PERIOD (1875-1911)
Each faceted vase enameled front and back with a large, scaly, writhing dragon shown amidst white peonies growing from leafy grisaille branches, yellow ground borders above and below, smaller serpents on the neck, the domed cover decorated to match and surmounted by a gilt knop in the form of the deity Guanyin seated
40 ¼ in. (102.2 cm.) high

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Becky MacGuire

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Lot Essay

Vases of this massive scale were extremely difficult and expensive to form and to fire at the Jingdezhen kilns, and those that were produced successfully would have been passed on to the best enameling workshops for decoration. The decoration on these vases speaks to their importance: the dragons being long associated with Imperial power and the peony - sometimes called the king of flowers - meaning wealth and honor.

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