Pair of Chinese vases

Pair of lime-green ground Chinese porcelain pumpkin-shaped vases. China, 19th century. Decorated by Famille Verte enamels, they portray crowded scenes of figures set amidst glimpses of landscapes and pavillions. Exquisitely painted and finely potted, they belong to a small group of wares that are favoured for the combination of their form and decoration. The motifs amongst the leafy floral scrolls suggest that the vases were produced as marriage gifts. The two goats, the male in black and the female in white, represent a joyful reunion and marital happiness, the squirrels are a pun for blessings, the endless knot represents continuity and symbolise longevity. Brightly enamelled against a lime-green ground, the intricate composition forms an auspicious design that would have held a deep resonance for couples embarking on a lifelong marital commitment. Calligraphic inscriptions in roundels under each of the dark brown glazed handles. – (CB.79)