A massive and rare 'Famille Rose' 'Mille-Fleurs' Vase Qing Dynasty, Jiaqing Period

supported on a splayed foot, the ovoid body with gently swelling shoulders surmounted by a broad waisted neck and flaring mouth, superbly enamelled with a profusion of mixed flowers in a multitude of brilliant colors, including peony, lotus, chrysanthemum, hibiscus, morning glory, gardenia, aster and lily, all in full bloom amongst a dense bed of foliage and stems, the flower petals finely shaded and detailed with delicate incised veining, applied with a pair of large butterfly-form handles between the gilded rim and foot painted with a gilt-classic scroll on a copper-red ground, the base and interior enamelled turquoise, with a gilt-metal stand well cast with archaistic motifs (2)

There is wear to the gilding around the rim, as well as wear and some flaking to the enamel underneath the rim, which does not detract at all from the vibrant mille-fleurs. One of the butterflies (the right side in the catalogue image) appears to have had a small corner repainted, and there is an enamel flake on the other side of the butterfly 1/4 inch wide. The colors are not as dark as suggested in the catalogue image. The vase is in good overall condition.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

This magnificent vase is superbly enamelled with the pattern of a myriad flowers known as mille-fleurs. Typically found on smaller vessels, this lavish and colorful design originated from the imperial workshops within the Forbidden City in Beijing, where bowls with such decoration were first made during the Yongzheng period, and then was later adopted by the imperial kilns at Jingdezhen. Perhaps the most famous example of a Qianlong mille-fleurs decorated piece is the large shouldered vase from the Grandidier collection in the Musee Guimet, Paris, illustrated in Oriental Ceramics: The World's Great Collections, vol. 7, Tokyo, 1981, pl. 52, where the flowers have been painted large and bold in keeping with the grand size of the vessel. This extremely time-consuming and artistically complex decoration required exceptional skills from the painter, therefore it is not surprising that only very few pieces were made.   

Compare a pair of mille-fleurs decorated double-gourd vases, with a Qianlong reign mark and of the period, sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 25th April 2004, lot 237, where the flowers are slightly smaller and denser. However, the positioning and coloring of the flowers are very similar suggesting that the design was meticulously copied and adjusted to the size and form of each piece.

A smaller vase of very similar form and mille-fleurs design, but with animal mask handles instead of butterflies, was sold in these rooms, 29th September 1977, lot 414. For examples of smaller vessels painted in this style, see a pair of Qianlong cups, from the Dreyfus collection, included in the exhibition Ausstellung Chinesischer Kunst, Berlin, 1929, cat.no. 1042, sold in our London rooms, 11th December 1973, lot 432; and another illustrated in H.A. van Oort, Chinese Porcelain of the 19th and 20th Centuries, Lochern, 1977, pl. 103, together with a Guangxu example, pl. 102.

The mille-fleurs decoration continued to be popular during Jiaqing's reign and was adapted to a wide range of shapes and wares; see a pear-shaped vase in the Palace Museum, Beijing, published in The Official Kiln Porcelain of the Chinese Qing Dynasty, Shanghai, 2003, p. 357; and a vase sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 5th November 1996, lot 892.