Cup; China, Qing dynasty, 19th century.

Cup; China, Qing dynasty, nineteenth century.
Enameled porcelain with applications of dragons as handles in slip.
Measurements: 10 x 11 x 8,5 cm.
Porcelain cup representing a white finish with flowers that are arranged all over the surface in an apparently random way. It highlights the presence of the handles in relief in the shape of a dragon. The Ching or Qing Dynasty, also known as the Manchu Dynasty, was the last of the Chinese imperial dynasties. Founded in the current northeast of the country by the Manchu clan in 1644, its rule ended with the abdication of the last Emperor in 1912 by the Xinhai Revolution and the establishment of the Republic of China, keeping the capital in Beijing during all this time. In general, traditional art forms flourished in many different and varied levels and formats, thanks to a highly educated upper class, a thriving publishing industry of books, pamphlets, etc., really prosperous cities, and the Confucian emphasis on cultivating the mind. Although the Emperors themselves were, on many occasions, outstanding artists (especially in painting), the best works were carried out by schoolchildren and the urban elite.