Chinese Porcelain Bowl, 18th Century

Chinese White and Blue Porcelain Bowl Decorated with Dragons. 18th century. Qianlong mark

Delicate Chinese white porcelain bowl, decorated with blue motifs depicting imperial dragons. This piece bears the Qianlong mark beneath the porcelain glaze, on the base. This indicates that it was most likely made during the 18th century. Despite its fragility and delicacy, the bowl is in excellent condition and has been preserved practically as it was made more than two hundred years ago. This is a highly decorative piece of porcelain, particularly due to the beauty of its hand-painted decoration. The imperial dragons depicted on both the exterior and interior of the bowl are rendered in great detail and feature five toes on each claw, which symbolizes good fortune in Chinese tradition.

The reign of the Chinese Emperor Qianlong spanned from 1725 to 1926, the year in which he abdicated so as not to rule longer than his grandfather, Emperor Kangxi. This act of respect toward this important figure in Chinese history led to the accession of Emperor Jiaqing, Qianlong's son, to the throne. This bowl is a fine example of the quality of Chinese porcelain from that era and also of the excellent artists who participated in the process of decorating the pieces. In this case, the cobalt-blue dragons are highly expressive and dynamic, rendered with delicate, precise details and a skillful painting technique.

The exterior of the bowl features two imperial dragons against a white background, surrounded by sinuous patterns representing flames and clouds. Both the base and the rim of the piece feature two very fine parallel lines that adorn both areas with great simplicity. Inside the bowl is another blue dragon, which occupies the bottom of the piece and is framed by two concentric circles of the same color. The decoration is elegant and exotic, and together with the quality of the porcelain, it forms a piece of great interest.

This beautiful antique bowl is a very interesting piece that will stylishly adorn an elegant sideboard or coffee table. Lovers of Chinese porcelain will find it to be a first-rate item.

Dimensions: Width: 175 mm. Height: 95 mm.