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Lot Essay
The porcelain wares produced at the imperial kilns of Jingdezhen during the reign of the Qianlong Emperor (1736–1795) are celebrated for the opulence of their decoration and the remarkable richness of their enamel palette. The present small jar, with its luminous colours and finely rendered sgraffiato ground, exemplifies this refined aesthetic. In China, such pieces are described as yangcai, or “foreign enamels,” a term that reflects the influence of European enameling techniques introduced to the Qing court by Jesuit artisans during the Kangxi reign (1662–1722). These craftsmen, who continued to serve under the Qianlong Emperor, contributed not only new pigments but also transformative decorative methods that expanded the expressive possibilities of porcelain painting.
The sgraffiato technique, which involves incising through a surface layer to reveal a contrasting layer beneath, has long been employed in ceramic traditions across cultures. In China, it was already known by the Song dynasty (960–1279) and was later revived and adapted with great sophistication during the Qing period.
A related vase from the same group is in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, and is published in Geng Baochang, Gugong Bowuyuan cang gu taoci ciliao xuancui , Selection of Ancient Ceramic Material from the Palace Museum, Beijing, 2005, vol. 2, pl. 204. Another comparable example is held in the Capital Museum, Beijing; see Shoudu Bowuguan cang ci xuan, Selection of Porcelains from the Capital Museum, Beijing, 1991, pl. 155.
For further comparison, see a Qianlong ruby-ground vase of similar type, decorated with stylised lotus blossoms and bats and set with a pair of yellow chilong handles, sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 27 May 2008, lot 1547. See also a yangcai “lotus” vase, bearing a Qianlong mark and ruby ground, sold at Sotheby’s New York, 18 September 2024, lot 151.
The sgraffiato technique, which involves incising through a surface layer to reveal a contrasting layer beneath, has long been employed in ceramic traditions across cultures. In China, it was already known by the Song dynasty (960–1279) and was later revived and adapted with great sophistication during the Qing period.
A related vase from the same group is in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, and is published in Geng Baochang, Gugong Bowuyuan cang gu taoci ciliao xuancui , Selection of Ancient Ceramic Material from the Palace Museum, Beijing, 2005, vol. 2, pl. 204. Another comparable example is held in the Capital Museum, Beijing; see Shoudu Bowuguan cang ci xuan, Selection of Porcelains from the Capital Museum, Beijing, 1991, pl. 155.
For further comparison, see a Qianlong ruby-ground vase of similar type, decorated with stylised lotus blossoms and bats and set with a pair of yellow chilong handles, sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 27 May 2008, lot 1547. See also a yangcai “lotus” vase, bearing a Qianlong mark and ruby ground, sold at Sotheby’s New York, 18 September 2024, lot 151.