Object Description
Qing Dynasty, China, 19th Century | Height: 91.5 cm
An exceptional pair of large porcelain vases, exuberantly decorated in the famille rose palette with a profusion of butterflies—symbols of joy, abundance, and longevity in Qing iconography. The bodies are densely enameled with fluttering insects in vivid pinks, yellows, and greens, set against a scrolling floral ground. Each vase is surmounted by applied chilong dragons at the shoulders and flanked by facing Buddhist lion handles at the neck, sculpted in high relief and richly glazed.
These vases exemplify the opulence of 19th-century Cantonese export ware, combining monumental scale with intricate enamel work and auspicious symbolism. Their theatrical presence and sculptural embellishments suggest a commission for a celebratory or ceremonial context, likely destined for the Western market.
Rare at this scale and with intact applied elements