Pair, Chinese Export Rose Medallion Porcelain Vases With Gilt Dragon Handles

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Description

A refined and visually dynamic pair of Chinese export porcelain vases, dating to the mid-19th century Qing Dynasty, executed in … Read more A refined and visually dynamic pair of Chinese export porcelain vases, dating to the mid-19th century Qing Dynasty, executed in the celebrated Rose Medallion palette. Each baluster-form vase is intricately hand-painted in enamel overglaze decoration with alternating figural and botanical panels set within gilded scrollwork cartouches. The figural scenes depict courtly women and attendants in domestic and garden settings, rendered in soft pinks, emerald greens, iron reds, and cobalt blues—a hallmark of the famille rose aesthetic.

The shoulder and neck of each vase are adorned with applied gilded dragons, modeled in high relief and grasping the collar of the flaring trumpet rim, adding a sculptural and symbolic dimension. Dragons in this context are auspicious emblems of imperial authority and protection, suggesting these vases may have been intended for a high-status client or as a diplomatic gift for the Western market.

Floral panels filled with blooming peonies, butterflies, and birds in flight frame the reverse, painted with lyrical brushwork and finely modulated enamels. These motifs were not merely ornamental but carried deep symbolic resonance in Chinese decorative arts: peonies signifying wealth and honor, butterflies for joy and longevity, and birds often associated with marital harmony.

The porcelain is of fine body with clean, unglazed bases showing circular foot rims consistent with 19th-century export ware. The scale and quality of the decoration suggest a workshop of considerable refinement, likely in Jingdezhen for the Canton trade. These vases epitomize the height of mid-Qing export craftsmanship and the cross-cultural exchange between China and the West during the 19th century.



Measures:

10" h x 4.125" w See less