Cloisonné Enamel Vessel From the Guangdong Province C. 1966-1986

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Cloisonné enamel originated in the Guangdong Province and became synonymous with the Ming Dynasty. Made with richly colored enamel, this … Read more Cloisonné enamel originated in the Guangdong Province and became synonymous with the Ming Dynasty. Made with richly colored enamel, this twentieth-century piece from Guangdong is impressively vibrant. The most interesting characteristic is that it was made during the Cultural Revolution. Hand painted vignettes grace the front and the back. One is of winter pine and snow. The other - a beauty standing amidst cherry blossoms. They likely represent Winter, a season characterized by struggle and reflection and Spring, the season of renewal. Each scene is hand painted between ruyi enamel borders that celebrate the natural beauty of flowers. The stories of Guangdong athlete(s) are told in raised red traditional Chinese characters with the date 1966. The artist’s name is hand painted. 1966 is significant in that it marked the beginning of the Cultural Revolution, a period of political and social upheaval. China's sports teams stopped training and withdrew from international events. Athletes, coaches, and officials who opposed the Maoists were arrested and tortured. See less