Blue & White Porcelain Meiping Vase - Dragon Design

This elegant Blue & White Porcelain Meiping Vase is a faithful reproduction of one of China's most celebrated ceramic forms, handcrafted in Jingdezhen using traditional techniques that have been refined over centuries. Hand-thrown on the potter's wheel and meticulously painted by skilled artisans, the vase is decorated with a powerful dragon soaring amongst trailing clouds – a timeless symbol of strength, wisdom, prosperity and imperial authority in Chinese culture.

The graceful meiping, meaning "plum vase", originated during the Song Dynasty (960–1279 AD). Originally designed to hold wine before later becoming the preferred vessel for displaying a single flowering plum branch, its elegant silhouette is said to have been inspired by the female form. Although traditionally decorated with plum blossom, this striking example features the auspicious dragon, believed to control the waters, rain and storms while bringing good fortune and abundance.

Blue and white porcelain is one of China's greatest artistic achievements. The brilliant cobalt decoration is painted by hand beneath a clear porcelain glaze, a technique that developed during the Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD) before reaching its finest expression in Jingdezhen during the Ming Dynasty. The intricate brushwork, flowing clouds and finely detailed scales reflect the exceptional craftsmanship that made Chinese blue and white porcelain famous throughout the world.

Each vase is hand-thrown on the potter's wheel before being meticulously hand-painted and fired by skilled artisans using traditional techniques passed down through generations. Jingdezhen has been China's foremost porcelain-making city since 1004 AD, with its imperial kilns producing some of the world's finest ceramics for centuries. In recognition of this extraordinary legacy, Jingdezhen's historic porcelain industry has recently been inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, celebrating over a millennium of ceramic craftsmanship.

Porcelain occupies a unique place in Chinese history. While pottery has been made in China for over 15,000 years, true porcelain is generally believed to have emerged during the Han Dynasty (202 BC – 220 AD). Today, Jingdezhen continues this remarkable tradition, producing porcelain that celebrates centuries of artistic excellence.

• Origin: Jingdezhen, China
• Date: Contemporary
• Materials: Hand-thrown and hand-painted porcelain with underglaze cobalt blue decoration
• Features: Classic meiping (plum vase) form; dragon and trailing cloud design; handcrafted and hand-painted; each piece individually painted so slight variations will occur
• Condition: Excellent new condition
• Dimensions: W25 x D25 x H42 cm
• Weight: 4.5 kg