A FINE AND SUPERB YANGCAI YELLOW-GROUND ‘BOYS’ VASE

A FINE AND SUPERB YANGCAI YELLOW-GROUND ‘BOYS’ VASE

QIANLONG SIX-CHARACTER SEAL MARK IN IRON RED AND OF THE PERIOD (1736-1795)

The ovoid body is exquisitely decorated in bright enamels with a continuous scene of the ‘Hundred Boys’ celebrating the Spring festival, the children depicted in animated groups performing a lion dance, playing with dragon and phoenix puppets, playing music from drums, cymbals and horn, lighting a firecracker and carrying auspicious emblems, the festivities set within two gardens separated by a flowing river and linked by bridges, all between a trefoil border at the shoulder and overlapping lappets around the base, above the floral band around the foot, the waisted neck enamelled with a stylised lotus scroll and upright lappets on a yellow sgraffito ground, flanked by a pair of gilt and iron-red dragon handles, with classic scrolls around the foot and mouth rims.

15 ¼ in. (38.8 cm.) high, stand, Japanese wood box