436 - YELLOW-GROUND YANGCAI WALL VASE WITH POEM PANEL, QIANLONG SEAL MARK AND OF THE PERIOD (1736–1795)

YELLOW-GROUND YANGCAI WALL VASE WITH POEM PANEL, QIANLONG SEAL MARK AND OF THE PERIOD (1736–1795) Dimensions: Height 10,1 cm Wide 10,3 cm Depth 4 cm Weight: 222 grams A finely enamelled wall vase with a flattened back and rounded yellow-ground front, its surface densely decorated with famille rose floral scrolls. A large white cartouche occupies the centre and carries a calligraphic poem, while blossoms and scrolling foliage frame the inscription beneath a flared neck. Gilt accents sharpen the edges and lend the compact object a jewel-like finish. Wall vases were ingenious Qing court objects designed to create the visual effect of a complete vase while projecting only shallowly from a wall, screen or interior furnishing. Under the Qianlong Emperor they became particularly elaborate, often combining unusual forms, brilliant yangcai enamelling and poetry, thus bringing painting, calligraphy and decorative art together in a single object. The Qianlong seal mark complements the courtly ambition and refinement of the design. Here the inscription is not secondary decoration but the visual centre of the vessel, surrounded by a luxuriant yellow-ground floral frame that transforms the wall vase into a miniature three-dimensional poem panel.