Meiping porcelain vase with polychrome enamel decoration of birds, China, early 20th century The vase features "sgraffito" decoration, incised in blue enamel with flowers, leaves, foliage and polychrome flowering branches. Three large round cartouches adorn the upper part, enameled in the famille rose style on a white background with birds perched on a plum blossom and flying close to peony, chrysanthemum or lily flowers. The interior and base are enameled in turquoise green. The "Juren Tang" mark in zhuanshu with four characters in red on glaze in a square below the base. Height: 22 cm Wooden base. Provenance : Marco Polo (78, av. Suffren, 75015), acquired March 18, 1984 (copy of certificate). The hall mark "Juren Tang", which translates as "Hall of Dwelling in Benevolence", refers to the hall in which Yuan Shikai (1859-1916) moved to Zhongnan Hai in 1912 after becoming China's first president. It was in this hall that he proclaimed himself emperor in 1915. For a millefleur porcelain box bearing the same room mark, held by the Percival David Foundation (PDF 835), see Ming Wilson, Rare Marks on Chinese Ceramics, London, 1998, pl. 45.