Fine yellow ground famille rose vase of cong shape with four panels, each depicting a landscape and river scene, each panel surrounded by a frieze of dragons which in turn are surrounded by lotus flowers, tendrils and bands of decoration, the cylindrical neck rising off of the square body with four small medallions depicting various river scenes alternating with the eight buddhist emblems, the neck decorated with a profusion of lotus flowers and tendrils, the body resting on a gold glazed cylindrical base, the bottom with a turquoise ground, an apocryphal Qianlong mark in a square in gold. 19th/20th C. 12 in. high
Provenance: New York Collection
Of the highest quality, this yellow ground famille rose cong is unusual both because of its shape as well as the nature and beauty of its decoration. The multifaceted painting of landscape and river scenes, entwining dragons, lotus flowers and tendrils that fill the entire surface of the vase are most similar to the method of decoration used during the last half of the Qianlong period.
It was then that the aesthetic nature of painting Imperial porcelain changed with the rise of pieces in which every part was decorated, leaving behind the historical sense in Chinese porcelain dating to the Song Dynasty which required simplicity in design and significant openness. This is best depicted in the monochrome glazes of the Song Period or in the incomparable feeling of design within openness inspired by the Yongzheng famille rose Imperial bowls and vases.
Given all of this it is not surprising that the present famille rose cong vase would boast an apocryphal Qianlong mark. In almost every way it is in fact a duplicate of what one would expect to see made during the latter part of that 18th C reign.
