Cloisonne plum vase, middle to late Qing dynasty (ca. 18-19th century).

Cloisonne plum vase, middle to late Qing dynasty (ca. 18-19th century).

• Image Number: K1E000755N000000000PAC
• Dynasty: Qing dynasty
• Category: Enamel wares
• Function: Container
• Material: Minerals/Metals/Copper
• Description:
  This filigree enamel copper bodied plum vase is decorated with banana leaf patterns on the neck, cloud shoulder type lighting on the shoulder, with a group of longevity and six square flowers inside, and plum, bamboo and ganoderma lucidum on the abdomen. The above decorative patterns show that this is a piece of artifact full of auspicious meanings. Bamboo, plum and pine are traditional Chinese visual themes used to depict winter when it is warm and cold – “Three friends in winter”, often accompanied by auspicious ganoderma lucidum. The ancients preferred to use objects with such patterns as decorations in winter, hoping that winter would go away and spring would come. The plum blossom of this vessel is made of homogeneous pink enamel, so it should be a work of the Qing Dynasty.