Five-Clawed Dragon Liuli Ceramic Relief

Adapted from a five-clawed dragon on the Nine-Dragon Wall in Beijing’s Forbidden City, this framed relief shows the creature rising above layered waves and turning toward a flaming pearl amid clouds. On the original glazed screen, completed in 1772, nine dragons occupy five distinct fields; the five-clawed form belonged to the imperial image system and signified sovereign authority. Here, the scales, claws, mane and water bands are individually modeled, then articulated in Imperial Gold, Emerald Green and Opaline Ivory glazes. The ceramic relief is crafted in Mentougou by a fifteenth-generation inheritor of the official-style Liuli ceramic firing tradition and mounted within a dark wood frame.

Details:

Material: Liuli glazed ceramic relief

Motif: Five-clawed dragon, flaming pearl, clouds and waves

Source: Adapted from the Nine-Dragon Wall in Beijing’s Forbidden City

Glazes: Imperial Gold, Emerald Green and Opaline Ivory

Origin: Mentougou, Beijing, China

Dimensions: 6.10 × 6.10 × 0.43 in (15.5 × 15.5 × 1.1 cm)

Presented in a protective gift box

Intended for wall or shelf display

Minor differences in glaze boundaries, pooling and tonal concentration may occur during firing

Care: 

Handle the work by its frame rather than the ceramic relief. Dust the relief with a clean, soft-bristled brush and wipe the frame with a dry, nonabrasive cloth. Do not spray cleaner or water directly onto the artwork. Keep it away from persistent moisture, high humidity and prolonged direct sunlight.