Wucai Porcelain Vase ‘Characters’, Qing dynasty

Porcelain modelled and decorated with ‘Wucai’ or ‘五彩’ glazes. It has a circular base and a cylindrical body, which narrows at the shoulders into a slender neck ending in a flared mouth. The body shows a continuous scene of noble characters, namely a lady and a warrior, in a peaceful garden. The neck is decorated with long, curved bamboo branches filled with leaves, followed by a border of geometric patterns and auspicious elements. At the base is a double circle in underglaze blue. 

Height: 20.6 cm; Mouth diameter: 6.1 cm; Base diameter: 6.5 cm