This porcelain vase has a short neck and rounded shoulders tapering to a narrow footring. It is decorated with floral designs which were executed in famille rose enamels on a blue ground. Although this vase has the reign mark of Qianlong on its base, it was a reproduction piece made during the Republican period (1911-1949). The famille rose or ‘fen cai’ (粉彩) palette is also known as ‘ruan cai’ (软彩), meaning 'soft colours', and later as ‘yang cai’ (洋彩), meaning 'foreign colours'. This palette was introduced during the last years of Kangxi’s reign (1654-1722). Famille rose enamel allows a greater range of colour and tone, creating a softer and gentler look that became very popular in China and Europe throughout the 18th and the 19th centuries.
