174 - A KANGXI WUCAI DRAGON DISH

A KANGXI WUCAI DRAGON DISH Dimensions: Height 3,5 cm Wide 16,5 cm Depth 16,5 cm Weight: 189 grams A shallow circular dish with a broad, gently rising wall, painted across the interior with lively dragons among curling cloud and flame forms. A large green dragon coils within the central roundel, its long body looping around a flaming pearl. Further sinuous dragons occupy the surrounding field against a warm iron-red ground, while narrow pale bands clearly articulate the central medallion and rim. Dragon imagery has a long association with imperial authority and auspicious power in Chinese decorative arts. Here the painter makes full use of the circular surface, allowing the dragons' bodies to turn and twist in response to the shape of the dish. The contrast between the red ground and green-scaled creatures gives the design an unusually direct visual energy. The richly coloured dragon decoration, carefully organised concentric design and crisp pale rim give the dish a particularly vibrant decorative presence.