Rouge-Red Enamelled Chrysanthemum-Petal Dish with Two Dragons Presenting a “Shou” Medallion

That deep rose-pink around the rim has gold in it. Chinese potters called it yanzhi hong, "rouge red," and it's coloured with tiny particles of gold, a recipe that arrived from Europe in the early 1700s. The Yongzheng court loved it, and the emperor's workshops perfected it.

Every one of the petals radiating from the centre is moulded like a chrysanthemum in full bloom, then washed in this gold-pink enamel.

At the heart of the dish, on a bright yellow ground, two green dragons face each other across a red shou (壽) medallion, the character for long life. Flames and coloured clouds swirl between them. Two dragons presenting "shou" was a birthday wish fit for the palace: may your life be as long as heaven's.

Made in the reign of Yongzheng (1723–1735), when Qing enamels reached their most refined.

The dish is of shallow form with an everted rim and foot ring, the rim articulated with multiple chrysanthemum-petal lobes, creating the appearance of a fully blossomed chrysanthemum. This foliate-rimmed form is frequently encountered among refined presentation wares associated with the imperial kilns of the Yongzheng and Qianlong periods and required highly precise moulding and shaping.

The entire vessel is covered in a lustrous rouge-red glaze, also known as rose-red or purple-red glaze. The colour is evenly applied, with a smooth, lustrous surface and a soft sheen, conveying the rich and refined palette characteristic of imperial court ceramics.

The central medallion is set against a yellow-glazed ground, creating a striking chromatic contrast. Two green dragons are symmetrically arranged around the centre, finely rendered with vigorous, sinuous bodies and prominently displayed five-clawed feet, attributes traditionally associated with imperial authority and distinction. Between them is a red medallion bearing the character “壽” (shou, longevity), symbolising enduring longevity, blessings, and well-being. Together, the composition forms the auspicious “Double Dragons Presenting Longevity” (shuanglong pengshou) motif.

Cloud scrolls, flames, and other auspicious motifs surround the dragons, reinforcing the formal and celebratory character of the design. The shuanglong pengshou motif was particularly emblematic of Qing imperial decorative arts, expressing wishes for longevity and good fortune and traditionally associated with presentation wares made for important celebrations or imperial gifting.

The chrysanthemum-petal form derives from the petal-lobed vessels of the Song dynasty and enjoyed particular popularity during the Yongzheng period. The rouge-red glaze was produced using Western-derived colloidal gold pigments, yielding a rich, saturated colour with a lustrous and softly luminous quality.

The reign mark is executed in standard regular script (kaishu), with upright, finely controlled characters and a disciplined structure. The six characters, “大清雍正年製” (Da Qing Yongzheng Nian Zhi), are evenly spaced and exemplify the calligraphic style characteristic of Yongzheng-period imperial wares, particularly those of the early to middle part of the reign.

The underglaze-blue pigment is restrained and subdued, with a subtle greyish cast rather than a vivid, saturated blue. The pigment appears to sink naturally beneath the glaze rather than sit upon its surface. The double concentric rings are finely drawn with consistent line weight and smoothly joined ends.

The base is covered in a finely finished white glaze with a barely perceptible bluish tone and a smooth, lustrous surface. The exposed porcelain at the foot has been carefully rounded and polished, displaying a pale yellowish, slightly raised “loach-back” (niubei) profile, regarded as a characteristic feature of the finely finished feet of Yongzheng imperial wares.