Porcelain with underglaze blue painting China, Kangxi period (1662-1722) Shoulder accented, slightly oval shaped body on a narrow base with a short neck and a slightly flared mouth rim The wall depicting two dragons with five claws, crowned by flames Base with six-character Kangxi mark 大清乾隆年制 Height: 23 cm Good condition Estimate by Auctionata Expert: 10,000 Euro Vases of this kind have been made both in blue and white style as well as in copper-red. However, Meiping Vases with such a brilliant painting and bearing the mark of the Kangxi Emperor are very rare. A very similar vase is illustrated in: Elias, A Dealer's Hand: The Chinese Art World through the Eyes of Giuseppe Eskenazi, New York 2013, p. 345, fig. 423. Another closely related example is in the collection of the Shanghai Museum and was exhibited in the exhibition Sovereign Splendor in 2011. Cf. Eliëns (ed.), Keizerlijk porselein uit het Shanghai Museum, Zwolle/The Hague 2011. Furthermore, other related versions can be found in some of the best collections of Chinese porcelain worldwide. Cf. a vase from the Palace Museum in Beijing, illustrated in Kangxi Yongzheng Qianlong, Hong Kong 1989, p. 23, pl. 6 and one from the Wang Xing Lou Collection, illustrated in Imperial Perfection, The Palace Porcelain of Three Chinese Emperors, Hong Kong 2004, no. 1. The five-clawed dragon continued to be an Imperial symbol throughout the Qing Dynasty. The depiction of the dragon as on the present vase is characteristic for the Kangxi period, which is exemplified by a fierce and dominant demeanour adding a stronger impression of authority and majesty. This representation is shown by the detailed painting of the head and the scales, which demonstrates a development of the later Ming Dynasty versions. The full-faced view of the dragon already existed in Ming times but was extremely popular in the Qing Dynasty, distinguished by a greater feeling of vitality and a warlike spirit. Literature: Vgl. Eliëns (ed.), Keizerlijk porselein uit het Shanghai Museum, Zwolle/The Hague 2011. Vgl. Elias, A Dealer's Hand: The Chinese Art World through the Eyes of Giuseppe Eskenazi, New York 2013 Condition: The vase is in good condition with a minimal chip on the underside of ring stand, barely visible to the naked eye. The height measures 23 cm. Shipping costs excl. statutory VAT and plus 2,5% (+VAT) shipping insurance. Starting Price : 5000