A magnificent and rare large cloisonné enamel 'dragon' vase (Tianqiuping), Qing dynasty, 18th century | 清十八世紀 銅胎掐絲琺瑯蒼龍教子紋天球瓶

Collection of Helen Phelps Stokes Merrill (1905-2004), probably acquired from her father, Isaac Newton Phelps Stokes (1867-1944), a famous New York architect.

Helen Phelps Stokes Merrill (1905-2004) 收藏，應得自其父，即著名紐約建築師 Isaac Newton Phelps Stokes (1867-1944)

This vase is remarkable in many ways: its powerful and dynamic depiction of dragons chasing a 'Flaming Pearl,' its fine workmanship and, above all, its monumental size. It displays the great technical advancements made in the 18th century in the production of cloisonné ware, which resulted in the development of numerous enamel colors, including more than twenty opaque ones. Here the writhing scaly bodies of the mighty dragons are enameled in tones of red and pink, while billowing clouds are rendered in two tones of blue against a light blue ground.

The lively composition of this piece and the remarkable shading in the reds and blues were clearly inspired by a painted porcelain piece. Tianqiuping painted with dragons were made in the Yongzheng (r. 1723-1735) and Qianlong (r. 1736-1795) reigns and were in turn inspired by early Ming (1368-1644) prototypes. Two Qianlong mark and period tianqiuping, painted with a related motif in underglaze blue and copper red, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, are illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures in the Palace Museum. Blue and White Porcelain with Underglaze Red (III), Shanghai, 2000, pls 210 and 211, the latter of similar proportions to the present piece.

Cloisonné enamel vases of such large proportions and decorated with this motif are unusual and no other closely related example appears to be recorded. A vase of similar dimensions, with the dragons rendered in a more painterly manner, was sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 3rd October 2017, lot 9; and another with blue dragons among clouds of various colours, from the collection of Sir Peter Moores, was sold twice in our London rooms, 12th June 1990, lot 52, and 9th November 2011, lot 401. A smaller vase of this form and with red dragons against blue and white clouds, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, is illustrated in Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum. Enamels, vol. 3, Cloisonne in the Qing Dynasty, Beijing, 2011, pl. 102; and two much smaller examples were sold in our Hong Kong rooms, the first from the collections of Kenneth Malcolm and Roger Keverne, 5th October 2016, lot 9, and the second, 1st June 2015, lot 658.

Cloisonné enamel vases of this shape and decoration continued to be produced throughout the Qing dynasty. See for example a tianqiuping with the Nine Dragons motif against waves, attributed to the late Qing dynasty, illustrated in Zhongguo jin yin boli falangqi quanji [Complete collection of Chinese gold, silver, glass and enamel objects], Shijiazhuang, 2002, pl. 278.