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-500x500-product_thumb.jpg "1031 A large falangcai vase painted with court ladies")
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Item No.: 1031
Name: A large falangcai vase painted with court ladies
Period: Qing dynasty, Kangxi reign
Height: 34.1 cm
This white-glazed vase is made from exceptionally fine, carefully washed porcelain clay. Although it stands over 34 cm high, its walls are thin and translucent, with a lustrous, jade-like appearance. The fine, white body also provides a clear ground for the rich colors of the imported enamels described in the Chinese catalogue entry.
More than ten Manchu and Han noblewomen appear in varied poses: standing, sitting, crouching, or bending. Their expressions, clothing, and hairstyles differ subtly. Reserved and graceful faces, fashionable coiffures, and bright, flowing robes lend the scene elegance. Some women play the qin, others listen to music, admire flowers, or prepare tea. Their unhurried activities convey a sense of ease and classical Chinese refinement.
Seated and standing women are linked through activities such as music, listening, flower appreciation and tea preparation. Restrained expressions and flowing garments establish an atmosphere of ease. Rather than an unfiltered record of daily life, the decoration presents an ideal of cultivated leisure through varied figures, clothing and garden activities.