A MAGNIFICENT AND VERY RARE CARVED APPLE-GREEN ENAMELLED 'DRAGON' LANTERN VASE

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The Power of the Imperial Dragon Rosemary Scott, International Academic Director, Asian Art This rare and imposing vase is magnificent not simply for its size, but for the exceptional quality of its decoration and the successful manner in which it portrays the power of the imperial dragons which encircle its sides. As is the case with the majority of fine imperial vases, this example was one of a pair with essentially mirror image decoration, and its companion vase was sold by Christie's Hong Kong on 3rd November 1996, lot 730 (fig. 1), and included in the Min Chiu Society's exhibition In Pursuit of Antiquities, Hong Kong, 2001, no. 187. Vessels of this shape are often called 'lantern' vases or 'lantern' jars because of their similarity to the form of porcelain lanterns, such as the Kangxi (1662-1722) overglaze enamelled example and 18th century doucai example in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (illustrated by Rose Kerr in Chinese Ceramics - Porcelain of the Qing Dynasty 1644-1911, London, 1986, pp. 104-5, pls. 84 and 85). However, the more cylindrical form of the current vessel may also be linked to an earlier porcelain shape, which came to prominence in the Ming dynasty Yongle reign (1403-24). This early 15th century form, which usually appears with underglaze blue decoration (illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum 34 Blue and White Porcelain with Underglaze Red (I), Hong Kong, 2000, p. 45, no. 43), seems to have been inspired by jars made to hold medicines and ointments in Egypt, Syria and Iran. The form was also introduced to Italy in the 15th century, where it was copied in majolica (tin-glazed earthenware) and earned the name 'albarello' jar. The Islamic inspiration for the Chinese version of the form is reinforced by the underglaze blue decoration seen on the early 15th century Chinese porcelain vessels, which almost invariably includes an Islamic-style lattice - as is the case on the Palace Museum example. Both the shape and underglaze blue decoration of the early 15th century 'albarello' jars was meticulously copied at the imperial kilns in the 18th century. In fact the form represented by the current vessel is an elegant compromise between the true lantern form - as represented by the Victoria and Albert Museum examples - and the albarello-style jars. It has less rounded sides than the lanterns, but less severely cylindrical sides than the albarello-style jars. It may also be noted that both the other forms have vertical feet and necks, which are of approximately the same radius as each other, while the current vase has a slightly splayed foot, which is noticeably wider than its everted mouth. This form seems to have been particularly popular during the Qianlong reign, when it may be seen in different sizes and with some variations in the width and height of the neck - see, for example, the red-glazed 'lantern' vase in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing (fig. 2) (illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum 37 Monochrome Porcelain, Hong Kong, 1999, p. 38, no. 34), and the overglaze enamelled 'lantern' vase in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum (illustrated by Rose Kerr, op. cit., p. 116, pl. 99). The large size and elegant proportions of the current vase, however, make it very rare, although an even larger 'lantern' jar decorated in underglaze cobalt blue is preserved in the Palace Museum, Beijing (illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum 34 Blue and White Porcelain with Underglaze Red (III), Hong Kong, 2000, p. 149, no. 135). The decoration on the current vessel depicts the most potent symbol of imperial majesty - the five-clawed dragon - in carved relief. The powerful five-clawed imperial dragon with horns was the symbol of the emperor, and appears in many forms on the Chinese decorative arts, sometimes alone, and sometimes accompanied by the phoenix, symbol of the empress. The Chinese dragon, unlike his European counterpart, was believed to be a beneficent creature. He was not only the essence of yang (male) properties, but is also a bringer of rain. The dragon was believed to rise from winter hibernation among the waves at the Spring Equinox to bring the rain necessary to water the crops, which is why the creature on this Qianlong vase is depicted rising from the waves and flying amongst clouds. The dragon was also one of the si ling - creatures of the four quarters - the green dragon representing the east, while the west was represented by the white tiger, the south by the red bird, and the symbol of the north was the so-called dark warrior, usually depicted as a tortoise and snake combined. Powerful relief-carved dragons amongst clouds and above waves can be seen on a large Yongzheng bowl with inverted rim and pale celadon glaze in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing (illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum 37 Monochrome Porcelain, op. cit., p. 149, no. 135). However, the majority of the vessels with this type of low-relief carved dragon decoration date to the Qianlong reign. A large Qianlong lantern vase of similar size and proportions, and with very similar relief dragon decoration to that on the current vase, but under a turquoise, rather than green, glaze in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing is illustrated by Feng Xianming, Geng Baochang and Ye Peilan (eds.) in Selected Porcelains of the Flourishing Qing Dynasty at the Palace Museum, Hong Kong, 1994, p. 355, no. 92 (fig. 2). The turquoise vase shares with the current vessel not only similar dragons, but the form of the clouds and the waves, including the unusual sickle-shaped waves rising from the upper surface of the sea. A white-glazed Qianlong vase in the Tianminlou Collection is decorated with similar carved dragons, but this vase does not have the sickle-shaped waves, and the clouds are depicted in a more mannered style with spiral details (illustrated in Chinese Porcelain - The S.C. Ko Tianminlou Collection, Hong Kong, 1987, no. 135) (fig. 4). A Qianlong porcelain hat stand with pale, opaque, lime green glaze in the collection of the National Palace Museum Taipei is also decorated with lively carved dragons, but in this case the dragons are amongst lotus scrolls, which they grasp with their clawed feet (illustrated in Catalogue of a Special Exhibition of Ch'ing-Dynasty Monochrome Porcelains in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1981, p. 101). The dragons on the hat stand also lack some of the authority of those on the current vessel. An unmarked globular vase with similar carved relief dragons under a celadon glaze is in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art (fig. 5) (illustrated in The World's Great Collections - Oriental Ceramics Volume 11 The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Kodansha Series, Tokyo, 1982, colour plate 29), and another is illustrated by S.W. Bushell in Oriental Ceramic Art Illustrated by Examples from the Collection of W.T. Walters, New York, 1896, fig. 183. Interestingly, somewhat less powerful dragons amongst clouds decorate a Qianlong albarello-shaped lidded jar with celadon glaze in the Palace Museum, Beijing (illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum 37 Monochrome Porcelain, op. cit., p. 192, no. 174). It is noticeable that the carving on the current vase and on the similar turquoise-glazed vessel in the Palace Museum is particularly skilful. The decorator has created multiple planes within the low-relief, allowing different parts of the decoration to overlap in a convincing manner, and adding vitality to the dragons themselves. The carving is also very crisp, and that crispness is in no way clouded by the glaze. Both the green glaze on the current vase and the turquoise glaze on the similar vase in the Palace Museum, are densely coloured but with thin glazes applied to the biscuit-fired body of the vessel, producing a richness of colour without the glaze pooling and filling delicately carved areas of the design. This is particularly evident on the bodies of the dragons, where the scales retain clarity of form and texture. The magnificent dragons thus encircle the vase emanating vitality and imperial power.

A MAGNIFICENT AND VERY RARE CARVED APPLE-GREEN ENAMELLED 'DRAGON' LANTERN VASE

QIANLONG IMPRESSED SIX-CHARACTER SEAL MARK AND OF THE PERIOD (1736-1795)

Details

A MAGNIFICENT AND VERY RARE CARVED APPLE-GREEN ENAMELLED 'DRAGON' LANTERN VASE
QIANLONG IMPRESSED SIX-CHARACTER SEAL MARK AND OF THE PERIOD (1736-1795)
The elongated ovoid body stands on a slightly splayed foot below a waisted neck, and is crisply moulded and carved in shallow to high relief with a ferocious five-clawed dragon striding amidst lingzhi-shaped clouds and turning to face his smaller companion below, above rolling and crashing waves and rocky outcrops around the base, all covered in an opaque enamel of brilliant apple-green tone.
17 7/8 in. (45.6 cm.) high, box

Provenance

A Southeast Asian family collection, acquired in the first half of 20th century
Sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 28 October 2002, lot 714
Sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 1 November 2004, lot 901

Literature

Christie's 20 Years in Hong Kong, Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art Highlights, Hong Kong, 2006, p. 168

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