Large Chinese porcelain enamelled "dragon" dish, 19th century

A large porcelain dish standing on a circular base with a rounded rim. It features a large dragon, facing the front, surrounded by four smaller dragons, three flaming pearls and a background of fierce waves that seem to surround them in circles. The decoration is in underglaze blue enamel for the background of the waves, overglaze red enamel for the dragons, and gilding for the pearls.

On the reverse is a six-character Qianlong mark within a double circle that reads '大清乾隆年制' (Dà qīng qiánlóng nián zhì), executed in blue. Its patina shows age and it is restored in several parts with a lack at the base.

Diameter: 47.30 cm; Height: 8.50 cm; Weight: 3.511 kg

Provenance:

European private collection, Italy, Carbone family.