(Height: 29 cm, Mouth Diameter:6 cm, Foot Diameter: 9 cm)
During the Qianlong period in China, the technology of Fenci (粉瓷) reached its peak. The piece in the picture is typical porcelain for palace furnishing and is named 乾隆款粉彩勾莲纹天球瓶。
It has a straight neck, a round bulging belly, and a circular foot. The neck and belly are painted with pink-colored Fencai (粉彩). The theme is the lotus, with gracefully extended lotus branches, and the stems and flowers are painted with various colors such as green, white, red, blue, and yellow. Near the bottom, there are lotus petal patterns. Both the interior and exterior of the vessel are covered with turquoise glaze. On the outer bottom, there is a red seal inscription, stating "Made in the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty" (大清乾隆年制) in three lines of six characters.
A unique characteristic of Qianlong Fencai (乾隆粉彩) is the application of turquoise glaze on the mouth and base. This feature first appeared during the Qianlong period and continued being used until the late Qing dynasty. The designs of Qianlong Fenci were typically based on patterns sent from the palace, and the themes were strictly regulated according to different seasons. Qianlong Fenci often employed multiple painting techniques on a single piece, showing a combination of different craftsmanship and demonstrating the excellence of porcelain production during the Qianlong reign.
This piece has a well-proportioned form, a well-organized design composition, and vibrant colors, and is a typical ceramic piece used for palace display.