A CHINESE CANTON ENAMEL EWER, QIANLONG (1736–1795)

拍品描述

A CHINESE CANTON ENAMEL EWER, QIANLONG (1736–1795) Elegantly potted with a pear-shaped body rising to a slender waisted neck and flared trumpet mouth, this finely painted Canton enamel ewer exemplifies the technical brilliance and decorative exuberance of Qianlong-period enamelling. The form is animated by a tall, sinuous spout and a scrolling handle, each enriched with dense blue foliate scrolls reserved against a white ground, the terminals picked out in contrasting pink and gilt tones. The body is encircled by vibrant famille-rose style floral sprays, including peony blossoms in full bloom accompanied by smaller pink and blue flowers, all carefully shaded to create depth and naturalism. These are interspersed with shaped cartouches enclosing further floral compositions, framed by cobalt and iron-red outlines. Around the lower body runs a band of overlapping lotus petals washed in graduated tones of rose and pale yellow, lending the vessel a rhythmic architectural base. The foot is decorated with a continuous blue scrollwork border, visually anchoring the composition. The shoulder features a scalloped collar of alternating yellow and pink panels surmounted by a turquoise ground filled with black scrolling foliage, demonstrating the Canton enamellers’ mastery of layered colour and intricate pattern. The neck is adorned with further floral scrolls beneath a blue key-fret band at the rim, unifying the decorative scheme. Canton enamels of this type were produced in Guangzhou for both imperial consumption and export during the Qianlong reign, when technical innovation and a taste for brilliant colour reached a peak. The present ewer reflects the cross-cultural refinement characteristic of the period: traditional Chinese floral symbolism rendered in a palette and style influenced by Western enamelling techniques introduced by Jesuit artisans at court. Graceful in silhouette and richly ornamented on every surface, this Qianlong-period Canton enamel ewer embodies the sophistication and cosmopolitan artistry of eighteenth-century Qing decorative arts. Height: 27 cm

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