Rose Family Vase. China, Qing dynasty, 19th century. Hand-painted ceramic.

Rose Family Vase. China, Qing dynasty, 19th century.
Hand-painted ceramic.
Measurements: 59 cm (height) x 23 cm (diameter).
Porcelain vase with polychrome decoration in the Rose Family style from Canton, characterised by the predominance of light and very luminous tones, especially pink and green. This style is typical of ceramics exported to Europe, developed mainly during the second half of the 19th century. It is an ornate and highly ornamental style, usually decorated with figurative scenes and floral motifs. Thanks to the discovery of the white glaze, Chinese potters expanded the palette, achieving new tonal ranges that would allow them to conform more closely to European tastes, and also developed a new shade of pink based on gold. Within the Canton Rose Family there are three styles: rose medallion, nonya or straits and the Mandarin style, to which this piece belongs. The Mandarin style emerged in 1820, and is characterised by decorations with typically Chinese figures, dressed in the traditional manner, set in domestic or courtly settings. In this case, the body and neck of the vase are decorated with dynamic scenes of domestic interiors. These figurative scenes are framed with geometric fretwork and the space between them is filled with a variety of plant and animal motifs, including brightly coloured flowers, birds and butterflies that stand out against the white background.