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SILVER Seller in Venezia, Italy
Elegant white porcelain teacup with lid in inverted truncated cone shape — type known as zhong or brewing cup — with matching flat lid. The body decoration is dominated by an imposing imperial dragon (long) painted in polychrome enamels with abundant use of gold, rendered with great chromatic vivacity in shades of red, orange and turquoise-green. The dragon advances between stylized clouds and lingzhi mushrooms — symbols of longevity and immortality— and flaming spheres (zhū), emblem of imperial power. All on a milky white background, which enhances the brightness of the colors. The lid features a different and lighter decoration, with floral motifs in coral red and polychrome touches, probably a phoenix (fenghuang) or bird of paradise among flowers — an element that, combined with the dragon of the body, recalls the classic symbolic pair of dragon and phoenix, emblem of union, prosperity and cosmic harmony. At the bottom of the piece there is a mark in Chinese characters in iron red, arranged on three lines in seal (zhuanshu) or semi-italic script. The characters appear to refer to a manufactured or period brand, legible as: 「景德鎮製」 — “Manufactured in Jingdezhen” or a variant of the type 「某某堂製」 — studio brand or private client. The most likely reading, considering the arrangement and spelling, refers to an apocryphal or republican-made brand (Republic of China period, 1912–1949), a common practice in Jingdezhen production in the first half of the twentieth century. Conservation status: good; presence of slight signs of use entirely compatible with the age of the object.
ID: 73557-1775119704-147661
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