A Rare London Decorated Qianlong Reticulated Vase

A Rare Large Chinese Export Porcelain Reticulated Vase, Decorated at the London at the workshop of James Giles (1718-1780). This large reticulated white porcelain vase was shipped to England so it could be decorated in the latest fashions of the day, in this case in the style of Meissen porcelain. The Dutch and the English both imported white porcelain to be decorated, however I have seen one these large reticulated vases in the white but few pieces from China remained undecorated. The form of the present vase with its pierced work made it expensive to produce, especially as the fine lattice-work of porcelain panels and double wall was prone to braking or distorting in the kiln. The reticulated inset panels are enamelled in a pale translucent yellow, different shape panels have been left to be decorated with flowers. These are framed by puce enamel, the larger panels are in different forms, a leaf, double gourd etc. The smaller panels have an individual insect painted for example a tulip or rose. The larger panels are painted in the Meissen Deutsche Blumen style, with bouquets of garden flowers including roses and tulips. The scattered flowers and insects around the base and cover are also something you find on contemporary Meissen porcelain, these small random bits of decoration were usually used to cover up firing faults. All the ( decoration was added at James Giles’s studio in either Kentish Town or Berwick Street, Soho between c.1755-1765. Dr. Bernard Watney categorised this type of James Giles flower painting as ‘Group B’.

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