Chinese Blue and White Porcelain Urn with Xianfeng Seal.Eight Immortals. XIX CENTURY

Antique blue and white porcelain urn, in very good condition and highly decorative. Blue and white wares started being made in China in the ninth century, when the cobalt blue pigment was discovered. In the 14th century were mass-produced in Jingdehzen, a city known as the Chinese capital or porcelain. This technique reached the height of its excellence during the reign of Kanxi (17-18th centuries), and today this kind of porcelain is still manufactured. This beautiful urn bears the Xianfeng stamp on its base. Xianfeng was the eighth emperor of Qing Dynasty and seventh emperor of China. He reigned since 1851 until 1861. It was a troubled time because of the emperors addiction to opium, which was the cause of his death before he was thirty years old. This piece probably dates from that era, that is, from the half of the 19th century. It is hand-decorated with high skill and care, and the painted motives are really complex. There are eight oval panels with the eight Chinese immortals painted on them. The Chinese Immortals are a group of deities symbolized by eight men, each one with a particular look and different clothes. They were first described during the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1378). Each immortal bears a particular element with different powers, all of them intended to perform good things or destroy the evil. In this porcelain they appear in a relaxed and smiling way, walking through schematic landscapes in a very Oriental style. The eight panels are quite big and they cover almost the whole surface of the urn. They are surrounded by a blue background scattered with flowery branches and beautiful decorative patterns. The lid bears four symbols on a dark blue background. The base and the mouth of the urn bear furnace marks: a brownish tone due to the heat generated by the furnace during the firing process. This is a very special feature, which together with this urns ancient age and its beautiful decoration make up a striking piece, perfect to decorate any corner in the most exclusive room. Measurements: 210 mm width x 285 mm height.