antique bronze statues and gilt bronzes chinese and Indian sculptures antique chinese porcelain examples Welcome   Our Collections Bronzes and Metalwork Exhibitions Early Ceramics Contact Enamels Furniture   Himalayan   Indian   Ivory and Raino Horn   Lacqoer   Porcelain   Sculpture   Southeast Asian   Works of Art large Cloisonné enamel basin Wanli mark and period, 1573 – 1619 Height: 16 cm | 65/16 in Diameter: 31 cm | 123/16 in Click image for full-size version The circular deep bowl, with flaring mouth, is supported on a circular foot rim. It is decorated on the outside with a wide band – forming the main field – in which four quatrefoil panels each enclose a single five-clawed dragon. The mythical beasts are depicted in alternating red and blue enamels, writhing amongst clouds, against a light green ground. Each panel is set against a main turquoise ground – further decorated with lotus flowers and Buddhist symbols. Alternating Wan and Shou symbols (of good luck and longevity) decorate the band around the mouth – against a pink ground with clouds and checked wirework – whilst the foot rim is decorated with a single row of petals and leaves; the basin’s interior is plain copper, with traces of the original gilding. Its base is fully enamelled in turquoise, with cloud-like wirework – the centre boldly marked in red enamel with a six-character Wanli mark, in a large rectangle against a light green ground. No other marked examples, of this form, appear to have been published; however, the same mark does appear on a censer illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Metal-bodied Enamel Wares, The Commercial Press (Hong Kong) Ltd, 2001 – no. 50.