Imperial Celadon Vase with Deer Handles, Qianlong Period (1736–1795): Technological Diagnostics, Microstructural Analysis, and Symbolism of Relief Decoration

Author: Prof. Nona Dronova, DSc
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0007-4867-9074
DOI (related monograph): 10.5281/zenodo.16794377 10.5281/zenodo.16893188

Abstract

This article presents a comprehensive study of an imperial celadon vase with deer-shaped handles, bearing a six-character Qianlong mark and period (1736–1795). The analysis includes visual and microstructural examination, glaze technology, wheel-throwing traces, symbolic relief decoration, and comparison with documented museum parallels. Diagnostic criteria confirm attribution to the imperial kilns of Jingdezhen during the Qianlong reign.

1. Introduction

The Qianlong period of the Qing dynasty (1736–1795) is renowned for its deliberate archaism, when the emperor commissioned porcelain imitating ancient bronzes and early ceramics. Among the most sophisticated achievements are celadon-glazed vases with archaistic shapes and symbolic relief motifs.

The present study focuses on a celadon hu-shaped vase with deer-head handles, decorated in low relief beneath a bluish celadon glaze. The vase combines technical mastery with layered iconography, reflecting the imperial taste of the Qianlong era.

2. Object Description

• Form: archaistic hu vessel with tall cylindrical neck, swelling body, and two deer-head handles (shoulu).

• Glaze: bluish celadon (fenqing / dongqing type), even and translucent, with glowing depth. Relief patterns emerge more clearly in areas of thicker glaze.

• Decoration: underglaze relief of lotus medallions, floating ribbons, clouds, and Buddhist motifs; lotus-petal band around the lower body.

• Mark: six-character reign mark “大清乾隆年製” in underglaze cobalt blue, executed in seal script (zhuanshu).

• Condition: glaze intact, without craquelure, exhibiting natural optical depth; iron-rich patina visible on footrim.

3. Glaze: Type and Technology

• Type: bluish celadon — a high-temperature lead–silicate glaze with iron oxides and minor manganese, producing a soft bluish-green tone.

• Technique: evenly applied, with characteristic soft vitreous gloss and semi-transparency accentuating relief.

• Firing: reduction atmosphere, ~1250–1280 °C.

The tonal range corresponds to the courtly classification of sky blue glaze:

“The colour looked like blue sky and thus came its name. The characteristic of sky blue glaze was its stable, soft and subtle colour, which was reputed together with the famous cowpea red glaze of the Kangxi period.”
(Chinese Ceramic Ware in Monochrome Glaze, Palace Museum, p. 13)

4. Microstructural Analysis

4.1 Glaze Surface

• Fine, evenly distributed bubbles “frozen” in the vitreous layer.

• No artificial craquelure.

• Relief patterns accentuated naturally by glaze thickness.

4.2 Glaze–Body Interface

• Smooth transition, glaze penetrates into body.

• Iron-rich patina at the footrim, typical of high-temperature firing.

4.3 Porcelain Body

• Dense, fine-grained structure with natural ferruginous and quartz inclusions.

• Warm greyish-white tone; not sterile white (which is diagnostic of 20th-century porcelain).

4.4 Mark

• Cobalt brushstrokes under glaze, with characteristic diffusion halos and micro-bubbles.

• Hand-painted, not mechanical or printed.

4.5 Interior

• Clear concentric wheel-throwing traces on the interior wall, confirming handmade formation.

5. Symbolism of Relief

1. Central Medallion: stylised lotus blossom or Dharma Wheel (fa lun), symbolising purity and Buddhist law.

2. Floating Ribbons and Clouds (xiangyun): auspicious heavenly motifs, conveying blessing and transcendence.

3. Lotus-Petal Band (lianbanwen): traditional Buddhist pedestal motif.

4. Deer-Head Handles (lushouer): deer as a symbol of longevity, wealth, and auspiciousness.

Together, these motifs combine Buddhist, Daoist, and Confucian values, embodying Qianlong’s ideological program of cultural synthesis.

6. Comparative Literature and Parallels

• National Palace Museum, Taipei:

  • “青瓷鹿耳扁壺 / Hu jar with deer-shaped handles in green glaze” (Yongzheng) – direct precursor of Qianlong archaistic deer-handled vases.

  • Monochrome Porcelains of the Ch’ing Dynasty (1981).

• Palace Museum, Beijing:

  • Monochrome Porcelain, The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum (1999) – parallels in form and glaze.

• Christie’s & Sotheby’s:

  • “Celadon-glazed archaistic vase, hu” with Qianlong marks – confirm typology, though many later imitations exist.

• Dronova, N. D. (2016): What You Need to Know About Antique Chinese Porcelain [Что надо знать о старинном китайском фарфоре], Moscow, p. 225. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.16794377.

7. Diagnostic Criteria for Authentic Qianlong Imperial Celadon

1. Glaze: luminous bluish celadon, evenly applied, without craquelure; relief revealed by glaze depth.

2. Porcelain Body: fine-grained, with natural ferruginous inclusions; warm tone, not sterile white.

3. Glaze–Body Interface: smooth meniscus with iron patina.

4. Mark: hand-painted cobalt underglaze with diffusion halos.

5. Interior: wheel-throwing traces visible.

6. Symbolism: archaistic form with Buddhist–Daoist iconography typical of Qianlong court taste.

8. Conclusion

The integration of form, glaze, microstructural evidence, and iconographic symbolism confirms that this vase is an authentic product of the imperial kilns of Jingdezhen during the Qianlong reign (1736–1795). It exemplifies Qianlong’s pursuit of archaistic aesthetics, combining bronze-age forms with refined celadon technology and layered symbolic motifs.

The vase thus represents not only an outstanding artifact of Qing porcelain but also a historical document of imperial ideology, ritual, and artistic taste.

References

• Chinese Ceramic Ware in Monochrome Glaze. Beijing: Palace Museum, 1981.

• Monochrome Porcelain, The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Beijing: Palace Museum Press, 1999.

• National Palace Museum, Taipei. Monochrome Porcelains of the Ch’ing Dynasty. Exhibition Catalogue, 1981.

• Dronova, N. D. What You Need to Know About Antique Chinese Porcelain [Что надо знать о старинном китайском фарфоре]. Moscow: OOO “Tipografiya KEM”, 2016, p. 225. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.16794377. ISBN 978-5-9908782-6-6.

• Sotheby’s. A Celadon-Glazed Deer-Handled Vase, hu. Sale Catalogue.

• Christie’s. A Magnificent Celadon-Glazed Archaistic Vase, hu, Qianlong Mark and Period. Sale Catalogue.