Gourd vase with lotus scrolls, Qing dynasty, Kangxi reign (1662-1722)-China Archive

Image Number: K1G000309N000000000PAE
Dynasty: Qing dynasty
Category: Carvings
Function: Furnisher
Material: Plants/fruits/gourds
Description:
This bottle with a long neck of gourd was molded in the reign of Emperor Kangxi. The mouth edge was inlaid with tortoise shell. The four strands of molded edges of the bottle body were indistinctly visible. The decoration was layered from top to bottom, including a circle of moire around the mouth edge, a circle of Ruyi cloud pattern on the neck, a flower curling grass pattern on the shoulder, a lotus pattern on the abdomen, and a circle of Ruyi cloud head pattern on the lower part of the belly. In the center of the circle foot, there is a molded single line box “Kangxi Appreciation” regular script. On the circle foot, there are regular script engraved with the imperial inscription of the 46th year of the reign of Emperor Qianlong (1781), praising the natural beauty of the gourd ware, and engraved with the seal of “ancient fragrance” in the ink and in the print. The overall shape of this bottle is elegant, the lines are round, and the deep carving and shallow carving are well arranged. This shows the exquisite experience of the carving mold technique and the modeling process. Combining the simplicity and ingenuity of the gourd, it is a classic of the Emperor Kangxi in making gourd ware, and also reflects the experimental spirit of the Emperor Kangxi in the art appreciation and creation.