Page 30 - Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art II

This exquisitely painted vase is a fne
representation of the skill of the enamel painters
at the Imperial kilns during the Qianlong period.
The decoration represents abundant auspicious
wishes, making it an appropriate gift for a
birthday or a wedding.
The fowers depicted in the two panels represent
fowers found during two seasons, Spring and
Autumn, and also have auspicious meanings.
The panel painted with peony, crabapple and
begonia represents Spring, as all of the fowers
bloom at the same time. According to T. T.
Bartholomew in Hidden Meanings in Chinese
Art, Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, 2006,
p. 137, no. 6.6.1, the combination of crabapple
(haitang) and peony (fuguihua) conveys the
wishes, “May the entire family be wealthy
and honored” (mantang fugui). The fowers
depicted in the other panel, chrysanthemum,
wanshouju and amaranth, also bloom together
and represent Autumn. Chrysanthemum (juhua)
is a symbol of longevity, and wanshouju, which
is a long-stemmed marigold and of either yellow
or orange color, resembles the chrysanthemum,
and its name translates as “chrysanthemum of
ten thousand longevities”. Bartholomew notes,
op. cit., p. 197, no. 7.38, that it was “used
during the Qing dynasty as a pictorial pun to
wish the emperor a long life of ten thousand
years.” The surrounding scroll decoration also
contains wishes for blessings and longevity.

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