A rare yellow-ground and gilt-decorated famille-rose 'peony' wall vase, Seal mark and period of Qianlong | 清乾隆 黃地粉彩描金開光牡丹紋壁瓶 《乾隆年製》款

Exemplifying the remarkable skill of 18th century imperial porcelain manufacturers at Jingdezhen, this vase showcases their unparalleled dexterity in producing an extensive range of styles while continuously pushing the boundaries of innovation to fulfil the Qianlong Emperor's penchant for distinctive forms and designs. During the Qianlong reign, and often under his personal supervision, simulations that were often difficult to distinguish from the 'real' were produced and these pieces became the trompe-l'oeil of ceramics. This vase with stand simulating wood is a good example of the technique of combining the 'real' with the trompe-l'oeil. Zhu Yan in Tao shuo [Description of Ceramics], published in 1774, noted that "in fact, among all the works of art in gold, embossed silver, chiselled stone, lacquer, mother-of-pearl, bamboo and wood, gourd and shell, there is not one that is not now produced in porcelain, a perfect imitation of the original (fang xiao er xiao)".

Wall vases of this type were an innovation of the Qianlong period. Flattened at the back as though cut in half and often made in pairs, these vases were commonly hung inside sedan chairs. In a poem inscribed on one porcelain wall vase, the Qianlong Emperor commented on the pleasure provided by these vases when filled with flowers, which allowed him to enjoy their fragrance while the "red dust" (cares of the world) could not reach him (see the catalogue to the exhibition China. The Three Emperors 1662-1795, Royal Academy of Arts, London, 2005, pl. 445).

Four other Qianlong mark and period wall vases with similar simulated stands, in the Huaihaitang collection, were included in the exhibition Ethereal Elegance. Porcelain Vases of the Imperial Qing, Art Gallery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 2007, cat. nos. 129-32.