Chinese Canton Enamel on Copper Vessel, Qing Dynasty, Late 18th Century

A finely decorated Chinese Canton enamel vessel produced during the Qing dynasty and dating to the late 18th century. The vessel is formed from a thin copper body and covered with brightly coloured painted enamels, reflecting the refined Canton enamel tradition of the period.

It has a cylindrical form with a gently expanding foot and a scalloped rim. Two large cartouche-shaped reserves show scenes from everyday life in imperial China, with elegantly dressed figures among pavilions and garden architecture. The panels are painted in the famille rose palette and set against a deep sapphire-blue ground enriched with floral and geometric ornament.

The two principal figurative panels remain notably well preserved despite the enamel losses and surface wear seen elsewhere on the vessel. Facial features, costume details and other fine painted elements remain clearly visible. Canton painted enamels were produced by applying coloured enamels directly onto a prepared white enamel ground over a copper body. This allowed a high level of pictorial detail, closer to miniature painting than to traditional enamel decoration. From the Kangxi period onward, Canton became the principal centre for such painted enamel wares, supplying both domestic and export markets.

This vessel combines late 18th-century character, strong decorative presence and unusually well-preserved narrative scenes, making it an attractive example for collectors of Chinese decorative arts.

Measurements

Height: 11.3 cm (4.45″)

Diameter: 8.2 cm (3.23″)

Weight: 100 g

Condition

Multiple losses to the enamel, with some areas exposing the copper body, together with age-related oxidation and surface wear consistent with age and use. Such losses are commonly encountered on Canton enamel wares of the late 18th century. The principal figurative reserves remain remarkably well preserved and display clearly. No restoration observed.

Shipping & Packaging

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