A DOUCAI ‘CRACKED ICE AND PRUNUS’ BALUSTER VASE, LATE QING DYNASTYChina, 19th century. The ovoid body tapering towards the foot, surmounted by a waisted neck with everted rim, finely painted in green, yellow, red, turquoise, and aubergine enamels with underglaze blue and gilt, depicting flowering prunus against a cracked ice ground. The recessed base with a double circle in underglaze blue.Provenance: From an old German private collection, acquired before 2007.Condition: Very good condition with minor wear, little rubbing to the gilt, and manufacturing flaws including fritting to lip and scattered dark spots.Weight: 3,302 gDimensions: Height 45.4 cmThe 'prunus on crackled ice' motif is symbolic of the passing of winter and theing of spring. This decorative design gained much popularity during the Kangxi period and continued to be used in the Qianlong reign and thereafter when it was applied to a variety of media, including cloisonné, ceramics, and enameled metal wares.清末鬥彩冰梅紋瓶中國，十九世紀。敞口外撇，豐肩，圈足。青花地，一道道縱橫交錯的線條，模仿冰面出現的裂縫；再在冰裂紋上粉彩畫梅樹梅花，青花勾勒。