A pair of large Canton famille jaune porcelain vases

These large and remarkable pieces are a pair of large Canton style famille jaune porcelain vases. They are of typical form for the time and style - 'mallet shaped,' with a long, ovoid or baluster body, a waisted neck and a flared rim - and are decorated with detailed figural scenes, which display an idealised and embellished impression of courtly life.

They are mounted on the sides with dogs and applied on the front with dragons, and the decoration is executed on a yellow ground, thus part of the famille jaune category of objects, essentially a sub-category of famille verte Qing dynasty pieces. The colour palette, like the decoration, is busy and varied; yellows and greens predominate, but are complemented with frequent touches of reds and blues. As such, they are prime examples of fine Chinese craft and art around the turn of the 20th century.

This pair is ideally complemented by these two other works in our collection, best enjoyed as a four as pictured above.