Blue and White Dragon and Phoenix Fantail Vase

This exquisite 19th-century porcelain vase has a gently tapered body and a wide, flared lip, flanked by two molded scroll handles. Painted with expressive brushwork, the vase depicts a serpentine dragon soaring through clouds and a regal phoenix surrounded by lotus buds. Both creatures are pictured facing a flaming pearl, an emblem of the sun, of balance, and of power. Hand-painted with cobalt pigments, the vibrant blue decoration pops against the creamy white field with striking design.