Vase; China, Qing Dynasty, second half of the 19th century.

Vase; China, Qing Dynasty, second half of the 19th century.
Wucai glazed porcelain.
It bears a partially lost mark on the base reading “Chenghua Nian Zhi.”
Pierced at the base.
Measurements: 23 x 18 x 18 cm.
A Qing-dynasty porcelain vase, decorated with polychrome Wucai glazes on a white background, following one of the most traditional ornamental styles in Chinese porcelain. The surface is enlivened by depictions of dragons in shades of red and yellow, moving among flames and clouds, creating a strikingly dynamic composition. The dragon occupies a central place in the Chinese imperial imagination, historically associated with power, authority, and the figure of the emperor. Its depiction amid clouds and flames reinforces its supernatural and auspicious nature, alluding to its dominion over the forces of nature.
The piece retains a partially lost mark on its base with the inscription “Chenghua Nian Zhi,” a formula referring to the Chenghua period of the Ming Dynasty (1465–1487). This type of mark was also used later on Qing-era porcelain as a historicist reference to models and traditions of earlier imperial production; therefore, the mark should be interpreted with caution and not necessarily as an indication of manufacture during the Chenghua period.