Bottle. China, Quianlong period, ca. 1760.Glazed porcelain.Measurements: 15 x 12 x 12 cm.The piece presented here dates from the Quianlong period and was made for the export market to Europe. The Qianlong emperor, belonging to the Qing dynasty, ruled China between 1736 and 1795, and is remembered today as one of the most cultured emperors and one of the most important in terms of art collecting. His long reign was a particularly interesting time in Chinese history. At the time, the country was the richest and most populous nation in the world. Qianlong was able to preserve and foster his own Manchu hunter and warrior traditions, and combine them with the adoption of Confucianism's principles of political and cultural leadership, thus achieving an effective and stable government. In fact, it was precisely his ability to adopt Chinese customs, while still honoring his Manchu tradition, that made him one of the most successful emperors of the Qing dynasty. Qianlong studied Chinese painting, and especially enjoyed the art of calligraphy, highly regarded in this culture, conceived in fact as the highest of the arts. The bottle in question is decorated with galloned decoration on which are represented floral motifs worked in enamel.