A Chinese porcelain vase and cover painted in famille rose enamels and gilt. Of tall, baluster shape, with rounded shoulder, waisted neck and upright mouth rim; the cover with a seated lion knob. Painted round the sides are phoenixes in a garden, with tree peonies and chrysanthemums growing by a fence; a red-and-gilt petal border surrounds the foot. Round the shoulder is a border with landscapes and flower sprays in small cartouches on a gilt lozenge-diaper ground; on the neck is an elaborate frieze, with floral panels in a flowered pink ground; round the mouth is a key-fret border in red and gilt. The cover is painted to match the neck.

The introduction of the famille rose enamelling style in China was encouraged by the Kangxi emperor’s (1661-1722) liking for painted enamels on copper. A workshop set up within the Forbidden City made use of an imported crimson-pink enamel derived from gold, and an opaque white, which together facilitated an entire range of new soft and shaded tints. Imperial taste is reflected in the creation for the court of porcelain bowls with flowers depicted on brilliantly coloured grounds, which continued to be made in successive reigns. The use of coloured grounds combined with finely painted designs remained a feature of court wares of the Qianlong (1735-96) and later periods. Meanwhile, quantities of famille rose decorated wares were made for export to the West, including vases, figure models and table wares. Some were shaped or decorated to order with armorial and other designs.

Text adapted from Chinese and Japanese Works of Art in the Collection of Her Majesty The Queen: Volume I.