A rare wucai 'dragon' vase, gu, Mark and period of Wanli | 明萬曆 五彩龍紋出戟觚 《大明萬曆年製》款

Please note, this lot has been withdrawn.

Exquisitely painted and elegantly modelled, the present vase marks one of the finest examples of the Wanli period. The craftsmen skillfully embedded the intricate decoration into the complex forms, allowing the visual elements to flow freely across the six individual sections of the vase, and further connect them back into one harmonious composition. The unusual shape of the vase, and the superior technique of painting, moulding, and relief carving, all complement each other and present a delightful visual experience.

Furthermore, the impressive decoration and the refined variations of lines of the present vase is among the most expectational imperial wares of the Wanli period. Only very few related vases have appeared in the market. Although there have been examples with either underglaze-blue against iron-red ground or blue and white, similar wucai vase with flanges remains absent. See a related blue-and-white example in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Blue and White Porcelain with Underglazed Red (II), Shanghai, 2000, pl. 171.