Large flower vase in cloisonné enamel

A large cylindrical cloisonné enamel flower vase decorated with a poem in Lishu dated to the Yi Wei year of the Qianlong Emperor’s reign, corresponding to 1775. It includes two seals: Qian and Long of Emperor Qianlong, all cloisonné in red on a turquoise background cloisonné with broken glass and plum blossom motifs. The two ends are decorated with friezes of lotus scrolls, themselves surmounted by gilded bronze friezes featuring a band of engraved Grecias. The base is decorated with a trigram surrounded by yellow dragons on a turquoise background. Inside the neck, three bronze hooks secure the dome-shaped lid, featuring a cloisonné wave pattern alternating with five holes for flowers.

The poem used to decorate the present vase, reproduced below and bearing the title Yong Xuande Yao Wudang Zun (Appreciation of Wudang Zun Xuande) and dated 1775 in cyclic dating, comes from the Qianlong Imperial Poems Anthology (Qing Gaozong yu zhi shi wen quan).

Height: 16.7 cm
Diameter (with lid): 12 cm

Shock causing four deformations to the lid, slight damage, slight damage to the cylinder and two dents to the Greek frieze in the lower part.

Provenance and parallel: Collection of Captain G.

For a similar vase but with the lid missing at auction see Sotheby’s Hong Kong sale April 4, 2012, lot 3194