Chinese Porcelain Bowl, XVIII century.

Delicate Chinese white porcelain bowl hand-painted with blue motives depicting imperial dragons. This piece bears the Qianlong mark at the base, under the porcelain glaze, so it was very probably made in those times (during the 1800s). In spite of its fragility and delicacy, the bowl is in amazing condition and has survived to our days just like when it was originally fired, more than two hundred years ago. This is a highly decorative porcelain piece, mainly because of its hand-painted decoration. The imperial dragons that embellish the inside and outside surfaces are carefully performed and have five fingers in each claw, a symbol of good fortune in Chinese tradition.Qianlong emperors reign lasted from 1725 to 1926, when he abdicated so he would not rule over China for longer than his notorious grandfather, Kangxi emperor. This respectful act that would honor the illustrious historical figure led Qianlongs son to the throne under the name of Jiaqing. This bowl is a good example of the high quality of porcelain pieces from the era, and also of the good work of the artist that took part of the decoration process. In this case the cobalt blue dragons are expressive and dynamic, having been performed with high attention to detail and a skillful painting technique.The bowls outside boasts two imperial dragons on a white background, surrounded of wavy designs that depict clouds and flames. Both the base and the mouth of the piece are adorned with two slim parallel lines, simple and elegant. Inside we find another blue dragon painted at the bottom of the item and framed by two slim concentric circles painted in the same color. The whole decoration is stylish and exotic, and together with the quality of the porcelain make up a very interesting overall.This lovely antique bowl is a very interesting piece that will embellish an elegant cupboard or coffee table. Any expert in Chinese porcelain would consider it a first-class article.Measurements: Width: 175 mm. Height: 95 mm.