Large Chinese Glazed Ceramic Planter with Dragon Decoration

This large and visually arresting jardinière belongs to a distinguished tradition of Chinese export ceramics that was produced in great quantities from the late Qing dynasty onward, particularly for the European market, where the taste for Chinese decorative wares had been firmly established since the seventeenth century. The planter is of cylindrical form, slightly wider at the rim than at the base, and is covered in a rich dark brown glaze that serves as the ground for an exuberant programme of painted and applied decoration.

The principal motif is the dragon — the paramount symbol of imperial power, cosmic energy, and auspicious fortune in Chinese visual culture. Here, two or more sinuous dragons with scaly bodies, sharp claws, and swirling manes are shown in dynamic pursuit of the flaming pearl, a motif of Taoist origin symbolising wisdom, enlightenment, and the thunder that brings life-giving rain. The dragons are rendered in a vivid golden yellow that stands in brilliant contrast against the dark brown ground, creating a decoration of tremendous visual energy. The rim of the vessel is glazed in a contrasting teal or turquoise, adding a further layer of chromatic interest.

Large decorative planters of this type were used throughout the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in European aristocratic and bourgeois interiors to house large potted plants such as palms, ferns, and ornamental shrubs, as well as purely decorative objects. Their imposing scale and rich ornamental vocabulary make them equally at home in a traditional interior or a more eclectic contemporary setting.

Chinese. Dimensions: W. 51 × D. 51 × H. 46.5 cm.