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Lot Essay
This circular flattened flask form with decorative side handles appears to have entered the Chinese porcelain repertoire through the influence of glass vessels from Western Asia. Such forms became established in the early 15th century and reached new heights of popularity and inventive decoration in the 18th century.
This large flask has an interesting combination of decorative styles; all are archaistic, which reflects the increasing fascination with antiques in the 18th century. The lotus scrolls encircling both sides of the flask resemble those of early 15th-century porcelains of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644). The turbulent waves that create a band around the foot of the vessel are perhaps most closely related to those seen on mid-14th-century vessels of the Yuan dynasty (1279-1368). The three chi dragons with bifurcated tails, which create the central roundel on each side of the flask, are also in archaistic form, though it owes more of its inspiration to dragons which appear on the Chinese decorative arts of the late Bronze Age. The skill of the decorator can be seen in the fact that he has managed to combine all these styles to create an interesting and harmonious overall design.
The handles on flasks of this type vary from simple straps to multiple clouds. However the handles on this flask reflect the central medallion design and are modelled as archaistic chi dragons with bifurcated tails. These create particularly attractive handles, but their slender form and the small area of contact with the neck of the vessel make it clear that these handles were not for use, but strictly for decorative purposes, to provide balance to the overall shape.
This large flask has an interesting combination of decorative styles; all are archaistic, which reflects the increasing fascination with antiques in the 18th century. The lotus scrolls encircling both sides of the flask resemble those of early 15th-century porcelains of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644). The turbulent waves that create a band around the foot of the vessel are perhaps most closely related to those seen on mid-14th-century vessels of the Yuan dynasty (1279-1368). The three chi dragons with bifurcated tails, which create the central roundel on each side of the flask, are also in archaistic form, though it owes more of its inspiration to dragons which appear on the Chinese decorative arts of the late Bronze Age. The skill of the decorator can be seen in the fact that he has managed to combine all these styles to create an interesting and harmonious overall design.
The handles on flasks of this type vary from simple straps to multiple clouds. However the handles on this flask reflect the central medallion design and are modelled as archaistic chi dragons with bifurcated tails. These create particularly attractive handles, but their slender form and the small area of contact with the neck of the vessel make it clear that these handles were not for use, but strictly for decorative purposes, to provide balance to the overall shape.