AN IMPERIAL BEIJING ENAMEL CUP STAND, KANGXI YUZHI MARK AND OF THE PERIOD (1662–1722)China, c. 1700-1722. Of sixteen-lobed form, the body of heavily cast copper alloy and with the rims finely gilt. Exquisitely painted in bright enamels, the interior with eight phoenixes radiating from the central raised stand with kuilong decoration against a yellow ground. The central recessed ring, added to support a cup, with a half-open peony bloom and furled petals against a turquoise ground, the base similarly painted with radiating and overlapping flower petals, centered by a roundel enclosing a red-enameled four-character markKangxi yuzhi and of the period.Provenance: By repute from an old estate in London, United Kingdom. English trade, acquired from the above.Condition: Good condition,mensurate with age, presenting remarkably well with crisp colors and a subtle luster overall. Old wear and a dense crackling to the enamels, as well as minor warping, dents and nicks to the metal fittings, exactly as expected from this type of ware. Small areas of verdigris, the inner edges and corners of the well with minor yet distinct areas of calcification, indicating the piece may have been used as a jardinière for some time. Obvious nicks and losses, no restoration or repair of any kind.Weight: 744.3 gDimensions: Diameter 21.6 cmThe sides painted on the interior with petals against a turquoise ground and on the exterior with colorful kuilong against a yellow ground, the galleried rim with blue foliate scroll against a white ground.The rich color palette and the delicacy of the multi-colored design employed to decorate this exquisite cup stand demonstrate the superb craftsman of the Imperial Palace Workshops in Beijing, theZaobanchu, and the extraordinary skill of their painters. The technique of enameling on metal was originally introduced to the Chinese craftsmen in the Guangzhou area by French Jesuit missionaries in 1684, following the lifting of restrictions at Chinese ports. Being a port city, these artisans were the first to be exposed to wares from Europe and initially developed the skills to replicate these imports. Enamored with the range of vivid and pastel tones of both the imported and tributary wares, the Kangxi Emperor recruited enamel artisans from Guangzhou and Jesuit missionaries to work in the Palace and advance the proficiency of the Enamel Workshops. Painted enamel thus became a defining art form of this period, in quality, innovation, and unsurpassed opulence.The appearance of Kangxi yuzhi marks – unframed, inside double circles, as in the case of the current cup stand – on a number of the surviving examples provides an indication ofthe Emperor’s close personal attachment to these pieces. This exquisitely decorated cup stand can probably be dated to the latter years of the Kangxi reign, possibly to the period AD 1700-22, since a fully developed enamel palette has been used t