Ming Chenghua Period Doucai Cup With Dragon‑and‑Cloud Motifs

拍品描述

Dimensions：H.5cm，Diam.5.5cm Condition & Provenance：Fully intact, no cracks or chips. Glaze and enamels well‑preserved with natural aged patina. Old soil patina on unglazed foot‑ring. No modern restoration, no chemical cleaning. From private collection of R·K, Dallas, Texas, USA. Acquired in 2017, family inheritance under climate‑controlled storage, never appeared in public auction or museum exhibition. Description：This is an imperial Doucai cup for court wine‑tea usage, dating to Chenghua reign of Ming dynasty. Slightly flared rim, tapering body and low foot‑ring, dainty well‑proportioned shape with fine thin porcelain body. Two slim underglaze‑blue lines decorate outer rim and foot‑ring. Interior plain with creamy lustrous glaze. Exterior painted with two dragons chasing pearls amid swirling clouds in Doucai technique. Dragon bodies, horns, claws and cloud outlines are drawn in underglaze‑blue, filled with emerald‑green enamel for dragon bodies and pale‑green for clouds. Dragons are powerful and dynamic with meticulously scaled skin and vigorous five‑clawed limbs winding through floating clouds. Delicate cobalt outlines and smooth enamel filling represent the exquisite craftsmanship of Chenghua imperial wares. Six‑character reign mark “Da Ming Cheng Hua Nian Zhi” within blue square frame in regular script is painted on base. Dragon motif represents the highest rank for Ming imperial porcelain. The compact composition on small cup is rare among surviving examples, combining ritual significance and superb craft, standing as a precious Ming Doucai relic with outstanding historical and collectible value.

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