Blue & White Porcelain Dragon Moonflask

This reproduction Chinese porcelain moonflask vase (bianping) is decorated in blue & white glaze. The painting depicts dragons amongst clouds and is a reproduction of a Yongle period (1403-1424) vase found in the Princessehof National Museum of Ceramics – it is known there as “The ‘Mona Lisa’ of the Princessehof”.

Chinese emperors used dragons as symbols to communicate their power and strength – which led to the dragon becoming the most famous of all Chinese symbols. Auspicious, with control over water, rain, hurricanes, and floods the dragon grants good luck to those worthy enough.

Porcelain is steeped in centuries of Chinese culture and history. Even though pottery developed in China 15,000 years ago, most experts believe that true porcelain -which also originated in China – didn’t emerge in the region until the Han Dynasty -202 BC to 220 AD. Blue and white porcelain is glazed using a transparent porcelain glaze dating back to the Tang Dynasty – 618 – 907.

• Origin: Jingdezhen, China
• Date: Contemporary
• Materials: Hand-painted porcelain
• Features: Traditional moonflask or bianping form; hand-painted dragons amongst scrolling clouds; inspired by a Yongle-period vase dating from 1403–1424; handmade and kiln-fired using traditional techniques
• Condition: New
• Dimensions: W32 x D22 x H44 cm
• Weight: 8.5 kg

References:

This vase is almost certainly a copy of a Ming dynasty vase found at the Nanjing Museum: Pottery & Porcelain

See the original design on a vase in the Princessehof National Museum of Ceramics in the Netherlands.

Another original vase can be found at the National Palace Museum Taiwan – Acc K1B011423