18th century The pear-shaped body rising from a tall splayed foot adorned with a lappet band, with a waisted neck gently flaring at the rim, the exterior painted with a pair of phoenixes with long tails and spreading wings flying amongst floral blooms borne on leafy scrolls, the neck encircled with a band of floral sprigs. 33.3cm (13 1/8in) high.
十八世紀 斗彩雙鳳穿花紋壺
Provenance: Sotheby's London, 6 November 2013, lot 174
來源：倫敦蘇富比，2013年11月6日，拍品編號174
The phoenix (fenghuang, 鳳凰) was closely associated with the empress in 18th-century Chinese Imperial porcelain, symbolising grace, virtue, and the mandate of heaven. As the counterpart to the dragon (long, 龍), which represented the emperor, the phoenix embodied the empress's role as a harmonising force within the Court and the empire. This symbolism was rooted in Confucian ideals, where the emperor and empress were seen as complementary figures ensuring cosmic balance. In the Qing dynasty, porcelain decorated with phoenix motifs was often commissioned for the Imperial consorts, signifying their exalted status and the auspicious blessings of their presence within the palace.
See a doucai bowl and cover similarly depicted with a pair of phoenix flying amidst floral blooms, Yongzheng, in the Qing Court Collection, Palace Museum, Beijing (acc.no.故00150909). See also a related doucai vase with the design of a dragon and phoenix amidst flowers, Qianlong, illustrated in The Complete Collection of the Treasures of the Palace Museum: Porcelains in Polychrome and Contrasting Colours, Shanghai, 1999, p.259, pl.237.
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