AN ENAMELED COPPER PLAQUE, QIANLONGChina, 1736-1795. A virtuoso painting with a fierce Buddhist lion under a gnarly pine tree, near a creek, and amid clouds of fog. Incredible detail to the curly fur, stemming lingzhi and various plants overall.Provenance: A European private collection.Condition: Perfect condition with only little wear. The black painting, which is not fired, is minimally faded in some areas. The gilt wooden frame is modern.Weight: 893.7 grams including the frame.Dimensions: 22.3 x 19.3 cm without frame and 31.5 x 28.5 including the frame.The technique of enameling on metal was introduced to artists in Guangzhou by Jesuit missionaries around 1684. Their location allowed these artists immediate exposure to wares from Europe and they soon mastered the technical skills of enamel painting on metal, even earlier than those working in the Palace Workshop in Beijing. From a court memorial endorsed by the Kangxi Emperor and dated to the 55th year of his reign (1716) it is known that the Viceroy of Guangdong and Guangxi sent two artisans from Guangzhou to Beijing at that time to serve in the Palace Enamel Workshop (see Yang Boda, Tributes from Guangdong to the Qing Court, Hong Kong, 1987, p. 63). Kangxi’s grandson, the Qianlong Emperor, was also known to recruit enamel artists from Guangzhou.The manufacturing process of painting with enamels on metal begins with coating the metal object with a white ‘glaze’ similar to that used on porcelain. This is fired at low temperature, which helps to secure the enamel to the metal body. Decorators would apply the design in colored enamels, which was then fired again at low temperature after which black enamel, which did not require firing, was applied. The enamel palette used was called yangcai or ‘foreign enamel’ as it was initially imported from Europe. Domestic production of yangcai started from around 1728, after the creation of the most important color, opaque white enamel. White was essential for the artist to create pastel shades necessary for painting, especially landscapes, flora and fauna, and for achieving successful shading. By the Qianlong Emperor’s reign, the craft of enameling on metal reached perfection with forms and designs often reflecting the Emperor’s extravagant and lavish taste.乾隆琺琅釉銅板畫中國，1736-1795。以琺琅彩精緻描繪了一隻佛獅，四周五色祥雲密佈，松下靈芝 。來源：歐洲私人收藏品相：品相完美，些微磨損。黑色畫沒有經過燒製，輕微褪色。鎏金木框為現代。重量：893.7 克，包括框架尺寸： 22.3 x 19.3 厘米不含框，31.5 x 28.5 厘米含框