Imperial cameo glass water pot
Qianlong mark and period, 1736 – 1795
Height: 11 cm | 4 5/16 in
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Created from two thick layers of coloured glass – a vibrant green over lemon yellow – the globular pot is carved through with a naturalistic design. This cameo glass technique was mastered by the Romans, and again, later, by early Islamic glass makers prior to its Chinese re-invention; it involves creating two differently coloured batches of glass that have precisely the same shrinkage rate when cooling. The resulting contrast between the opaque ground and carved top layer is striking.
The water pot is formed with a circular mouth, bulbous body and short circular foot rim; its base is incised with a wheel-cut Qianlong seal mark of the period. The outer green layer is carved with a peach tree, symbolic of immortality, growing from rocky ground; the tree is full of fruit – its branches encircling the pot to create the main field of decoration.
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