Vase with two dragon-shaped ears and European figures in falangcai polychrome enamels, Qing dynasty, Qianlong reign, 1736-1795-China Archive

Image Number: K1B017599N000000000PAD
Dynasty: Qing dynasty
Category: Ceramics
Function: furnishings
Material: Minerals/Ceramics/
Description:
This porcelain vase has a long neck, curved shoulders, and a long belly with a flat bottom. The shoulders are decorated with symmetrical chi shaped ears. The outer walls under the mouth and around the feet are made of black enamel, decorated with colorful flowers and fruits and green twigs. Transparent glaze is applied inside and at the bottom of the utensil. Western ladies and children are painted on both sides of the abdomen, with pastoral scenery as the background; The open space outside the light is painted with flowers. The outer bottom is painted with white glaze, and the center is decorated with a seal character of “made in the year of Qianlong” written in blue. The whole work, because of the meticulous painting of the characters’ faces, the clear outline of the eyes, nose, forehead and lips, and the similar western oil paintings in the background, makes people think deeply of the western realistic style. However, the chi shaped ears of the traditional Chinese style still remain on both sides of the body, making the Chinese and Western styles perfectly integrated on this artifact.