Very Large Chinese (cantonese) Baluster Vase

Large Cantonese Baluster Vase (China, 20th century) • Baluster-shaped vase, slender with a slightly rounded base, a long, flared neck, and two handles in the shape of stylized dragons or chimeras in relief in brick red • Richly hand-decorated in the famille rose style (famille rose = color palette used in Chinese porcelain from the 18th century, with a predominance of pinks, greens, and oranges). • It features typical naturalistic scenes: exotic birds (peacocks, pheasants) perched on flowering branches of peonies and prunus, symbols of beauty and prosperity. • The background is white, and the details are painted with very bright colors: jade green, coral red, turquoise blue, yellow, and brown gold. • Geometric friezes and stylized floral motifs around the neck and foot. • The handles in relief often evoke mythological creatures or Chinese symbolic animals, such as dragons. • These vases come from the Canton (Guangzhou) region, one of the major centers of porcelain production for export in the 19th century. • They were highly prized by European collectors, particularly during the period of late imperial China (Qing dynasty)