Daoguang 1821–1850 Imperial Examination Commemoration Vase With “anhua” “chi Dragon” Design

History and Function: I have come to the conclusion that this vase dates from the Daoguang period (1821–1850) and was commissioned for the imperial examinations (a vase with a protective function) by a patron who was likely a mandarin or an official preparing to take these famous exams; it may also have been commissioned for a descendant. The undeniable quality of the craftsmanship points to a skilled artisan from the Jingdezhen kilns, who created a thick, orange-peel glaze in a deep blue as dark as night A spout resembling the sky, within whose walls he concealed for its owner the celestial and ancestral dragon “Chi,” rendered by engraving it in pale blue under the glaze; the dragon coils inside the wall without claws but with legs or paws and a body elongated like roots (an endoscopic camera would be needed to see its head, which is located in the center of the vase) History of the vase and its deeply spiritual significance: ANHUA, hidden decoration.

* Refined decoration of the “Family Rose” style: This depicts the convergence of three celestial forces uniting to protect the imperial examinations, created for a scholar who believed in the supreme powers of the gods: Zhong Kui, the Demon Hunter: A brilliant scholar rejected by the Emperor for his ugliness, he committed suicide out of despair. Having become the ruler of the spectres in the afterlife, he uses his magic sword to hunt down and devour evil spirits. On the vase, he wards off the forces of evil and protects the scholar from failure. Kui Xing, the God of the Brush: A brilliant student, also cursed by his physical appearance, he attempts to drown himself. Rescued from the waters by a sea monster (the Ao), he ascends into the sky to become a star in the Big Dipper. Armed with his brush, he is the one who assigns grades and grants the key to intellectual success. The Celestial Dragon (AnHua): The invisible emblem of the Son of Heaven, hidden in the neck of the vase, hovers high above, protecting two deities. It symbolizes supreme divine justice: that which watches from the shadows and always ultimately rewards human perseverance and true genius

** You will find absolutely no other example of this vase anywhere, such is the extraordinary technical mastery and the perfection of its Taoist and symbolic theme, which retraces the ancestral history of China.

Condition: perfect condition (I can send you a video taken under UV light) 

Dimensions: Height 43 cm

[I hope this vase will find a home in a museum or with a collector of unusual objects for a study—it is a vase that commands respect]

** le prix comprend le transport par ( Embelco Zaventem ) car ce vase à besoin d une caisse spéciale et de beaucoup de soin ils sont spécialisé pour le transport des objets d arts teavaillant pour les marchands de la " Brafa " et la " Tefaf "