Cloisonne pot with dragon and phoenix decor

Ch'ing dynasty, Ch'ien-lung period (A.D. 1736--1795)
Height: 32.3 cm, Diameter of belly: 17.5 cm

This cloisonne pot has a copper body and is plated with gold. The finial on the fitted lid is openwork carved with interlaced dragon decor. The spout is in the shape of a phoenix head extending upward from out of a dragon head attached to the body of the pot. The dragon's tail is added on the other side of the vessel. The handle is adorned with dragon, phoenix, and cloud decor in low relief. On a blue enamel ground, the pot is decorated with lotus blossoms, cloud decor, chrysanthemums, floral scrolls with winding branches, etc. Incised like a seal on the base, the standard script characters (Manufactured during the Ch'ien-lung reign of the great Ch'ing dynasty) are arranged top to bottom, left to right in a double frame.

Click here for a larger picture
(image size between 100k - 300K)
and use the [BACK] Function key back to this page