Double-walled Jardinière
Qing dynasty, Qianlong period (1736-1795), ca. 1770-1780
Chinese porcelain decorated in overglaze enamels of the famille rose palette
Height: 19.4 cm; diameter: 36 cm

A heavily potted double–walled jardinière of deep hexagonal form with slightly rounded sides and flat thickened overhanging rim, supported on a tall splayed foot pierced on each side with a central lozenge flanked by a tear-shaped cut-out, and brightly decorated in overglaze enamels of the famille rose palette. The outer wall of each side with a central lobed panel finely painted in black, white, pink and green enamels with birds and flowers reserved on a pierced (linglong) honeycomb diaper pattern ground enamelled in blue and enclosed by narrow bands of stylised flowers in iron-red on a yellow ground, revealing an inner body enamelled in turquoise. The flat rim brightly enamelled in pink, iron-red, blue and yellow with a band of flower scrolls reserved on turquoise ground. The foot is decorated with a border of iron-red scrolls on a yellow ground, within two indented horizontal bands enamelled in turquoise. The interior glazed, and with random splashes of white and turquoise enamels. The unglazed base with a wide circular cut-out at the centre has some grit adhered from the kiln, reveals the unglazed inner base of the jardinière, which is marked with an inscription written in washed black enamel.