Features
◆ A hundred-flower design in enamels with rich layers of colour
Flowers in full bloom form the visual core of the body, the large peonies being especially prominent.
In East Asian culture the peony is often taken to stand for:
Wealth and rank
Prosperity
Completeness
Splendour
Good fortune
A hundred-flower vase of this kind is therefore decorative and at the same time well suited as an auspicious display in a home or a commercial space.
◆ Butterfly motifs adding movement
Butterflies can be seen threading among the flowers, so the composition is not merely a static spray of plants but gains a natural, animated quality.
"Butterflies in love with flowers" is itself a common auspicious theme in traditional East Asian art, usually suggesting happiness, beauty, endurance and vitality.
◆ Gilt highlights
Gold enamel picks out the mouth, the shoulder, the borders of the motifs and parts of the flower outlines.
The gilding is not a broad wash of gold but fine lines and local emphasis that add depth, and it reflects light very handsomely.
◆ A long-necked vase form
About 32 cm high, with a slender neck and very handsome proportions.
This form suits:
Long-stemmed flowers
Plum blossom
Peach blossom
Fine branches and foliage
Dried flowers
A single peony
Eucalyptus
Even without flowers it is complete as a decorative object on its own.
◆ Classical geometric and ruyi borders
Different repeating patterns are used as decorative bands around the shoulder and the mouth, giving the vessel a more pronounced classical court style.
Red, green, pink and gold against the white porcelain body look very ornate and show the decorative aesthetic common to Chinese-style wares and classical Japanese export porcelain.