Large porcelain vase, pink family, 20th century

A porcelain vase decorated with pink and gold enamels. The body is rounded, with a neck that tapers in the centre and extends to the mouth. The sides are flanked by a pair of blue-glazed handles in the shape of a mythical beast (chilong). 

The body depicts a continuous landscape of paradise. There are distant mountains and a large river with a bridge surrounded by vegetation. It depicts a scene from ‘All Nations Come to Court’ or ‘万国来朝’, on the anniversary of the Qianlong Emperor. Numerous characters cross the bridge from different parts of the world to bring gifts or tributes to the emperor. The scene is framed by a line of ‘ruyi’ on a blue (top) and pink (bottom) background that continues with a line of petals and branches. A border with continuous Buddhist patterns separates the shoulders from the neck.

The shoulders are decorated with a line of curled floral elements on a yellow background, followed by another line on a pink background. In the centre and vertically, there is an open lotus flower, a Buddhist ‘precious fish’ emblem, and a bat. The registers are separated by gilt rings, as are the lower and upper rims, which are partially worn down. The interior and base are covered with a pale turquoise enamel and have a square seal, in reserve and red enamel, of six characters ‘大清乾隆年制’. 

Height: 73 cm; Mouth diameter: 25.50 cm; Base diameter: 21.80 cm

Provenance: Private collection, France.