Master Art

European Market
from the Golden Gate Collection

A Chinese export porcelain waterdropper and stand, moulded as lotus leaves, with appliqué flowers, the spout modelled as a spiny stem, the interior with a small flowerbud concealing the drain hole, all painted in famille rose enamels with a rooster on a rock with tree peonies.

A very rare example of this type of vessel. Waterdroppers were used by scholars and painters to pour water onto an inkstone to create ink for writing. This is finely modelled as a lotus leaf and flower, the stems with green spines that make it very tactile in the hand.