Chinese Porcelain Teapot, 20th Century.

Delicate Chinese tankard (beer jar) made of blue and white porcelain in the 19th century. Blue and white wares started being made in China in the 9th century, when the blue cobalt pigment was discovered. From then on, white wares decorated with such pigment were more and more popular until in the 14th century they were mass-produced in Jingdezhen, a city which was known as the porcelain capital of China. This kind of porcelain reached the height of its technical excellence during the reing of Kangxi (1661-1722) and today is still produced. This piece shows a straight and simple shape, adorned and embellished by a nice hand-painted motive which covers the cylindrical body. The motive depicts a typical Oriental landscape, with a series of Chinese-style palaces and buildings standing on small islands. These islands are communicated by bridges and stretches of land, and among them we can see some boats with tiny figures on them. All this features make up a landscape half way between a dream-world and a traditional scene, which covers the whole outside of the tankard. Special mention must be made of the tankards delicate handle, carefully carved in the shape of a marine animal, probably a snake. He handle is also slightly decorated with blue paint. The piece is in good condition; the handle shows a small repair at the bottom joint and there is a tiny dent on the edge, but these details in no way diminish the porcelains delicacy, the hand-made decorations charm and the pieces ancient age. This beautiful blue and white porcelain jar will be a real find for the most demanding collector. Measurements: 135 mm width x 116 mm height.