VASO SMALTATO FLAMBE', FANGHU, CINA, DINASTIA QING, MARCHIO A SIGILLO INCISO E DEL PERIODO QIANLONG (1736-1795) A FINE FLAMBE'-GLAZED PORCELAIN VASE, FANGHU, CHINA, QING DYNASTY, SEAL MARK AND OF THE PERIOD QIANLONG (1736-1795) 30 cm high, 18,2 cm large Based on archaic bronze form, the pear-shape body of rectangular section rising from a spreading foot to a quatrefoil rim, set at the shoulder with a pair of rectangular lug handles and the two main sides molded to the front and back with a raised peach-form panel, covered overall with a lustrous glaze of violet-purple tone with broad lavender creamy streaks, thinning to a buff color at the rim and along the edges, the base incised with a six-character seal mark and further applied with a brownish glaze with russet patches. In very good conditions, very minor wear and scratches, the glaze all over is crackled. NOTE: A closely related vase is illustrated in Chinese Ceramics IV. Qing Dynasty, The Tsui Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1995, pl. 47 Vases of this type derive from wares of the great Song Dynasty (960-1279) and demonstrate the craftsmanship of the Qing potters to imitate shapes and glaze and develope them to suit the contemporary aesthetic. Flambé glazes derive from Jun wares, a glaze that was first revived by the Yongzheng Emperor and which remained popular, throughout the Qing dynasty. The shape of facetted and pear-shape vases were inspired by the archaic bronze ritual vessel, Hu.