Bowl; China, Qing Dynasty, Qianlong Period, 1736- 1795.

Bowl; China, Qing Dynasty, Qianlong Period, 1736- 1795.
Glazed porcelain.
Measurements: 8,5 x 17,5 cm (diameter).
Bowl made of glazed porcelain with deposit divided into bands of seven different colors. Each band has in its interior a design based on chrysanthemums and peonies that are repeated rhythmically along the body of the piece. The upper area, i.e. the lip, is ornamented with a red band with "luhja liu shui" decoration, diamonds that simulate the fallen leaves of the lotus on the surface of the water. The Qianlong emperor, belonging to the Qing dynasty, ruled China between 1736 and 1795, and is remembered to this day as one of the most cultured emperors and one of the most important in terms of art collecting. His long reign was a particularly interesting time in Chinese history. At the time, the country was the richest and most populous nation in the world. Qianlong was able to preserve and foster his own Manchu hunter and warrior traditions, and combine them with the adoption of Confucianism's principles of political and cultural leadership, thus achieving an effective and stable government. In fact, it was precisely his ability to adopt Chinese customs, while still honoring his Manchu tradition, that made him one of the most successful emperors of the Qing dynasty. Qianlong studied Chinese painting, and especially enjoyed the art of calligraphy, highly regarded in this culture, conceived in fact as the highest of the arts.