A fine Chinese canton enamel dragon bowl, Qianlong (1736-95), the interior painted with four five-clawed dragons, in green, pink, red and blue, their scaled bodies writhing and rampaging amongst colourful clouds, all against a white ground below a band of gilt and enamel foliate scroll to the rim, the exterior painted with peony, lotus and tropical blooms with scrolling foliage against a bright yellow enamel ground, the rim with a narrow band of blue foliate scroll, the footrim with a corresponding band in pin, the base painted with a blue stylised mythical beast modeled on a fenghua (phoenix) but with dragon-like features, with applied label 'Chien Lung Period 1736-1795 AD'.
Dimensions:
Diameter: 18.5cm. (7 1/4in.)
Condition:
Some interior crazing and very minor wear in places. Exterior generally in very good condition with a few minor surface scratches and very light crazing and marks.Nearly all the Canton enamel comes fr
Provenance:
John Spark Ltd, with origial John Sparks retail box. Purchased by the vendors in the 1970s.
This piece was loaned by the vendors to be included in an exhibition of Chinese Painted Enamel at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford in 1978, curated by Michael Gillingham.
