Pair Chinese Nanking Crackle Glaze Famille Verte Warrior Vases With Dragons, Late Qing C. 1880

Details

Description

A matched mirror-image pair of Chinese Nanking crackle-glaze porcelain vases decorated in famille verte enamels with lively continuous scenes of … Read more A matched mirror-image pair of Chinese Nanking crackle-glaze porcelain vases decorated in famille verte enamels with lively continuous scenes of mounted warriors, attendants, banners, and figures within a mountainous landscape. The baluster-form vases feature flared rims, applied foo dog mask handles, and richly modeled dragons encircling the shoulders.

Incised iron-brown glazed bands define the rims, shoulders, and bases, with fruit-filled cartouches providing additional color and relief. The cream crackle-glazed grounds beautifully offset the greens, aubergines, ochres, and iron-red enamels. Each vase bears an apocryphal four-character mark to the underside. The vases include their period-style carved wood display stands.

Vases: 13"H × approximately 7.5"W × 7.5"D
Overall height on stands: 14.5"H

COLLECTOR'S NOTE
What elevates this pair beyond the more commonly encountered Nanking vases is the combination of narrative warrior decoration and substantial applied ornament. Mounted figures, attendants, banners, dragons, foo dog masks, fruit cartouches, and incised borders create decoration at several levels rather than relying on painted imagery alone. Just as importantly, the two vases were conceived as companions: the mirror-image compositions respond to one another rather than simply repeating the same design.

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