An impressive Chinese underglaze blue and copper red 'One Hundred Boys' zun vase, paired with Elephant Head handles, mid Qing dynasty, H 87 cm

An impressive Chinese underglaze blue and copper red 'One Hundred Boys' zun vase, of archaistic zun form, modelled on a short foot decorated with meander and tapering to a straight mouthrim, the well-proportioned bulbous body decorated with a continuous scene depicting playful boys welcoming the Spring, featuring an abundance of young boys engaged in festive springtime activities—flying butterfly kites, playing instruments, and dancing with a dragon, all set against a dramatic mountainous landscape, in shades of blue and deep copper red drawn under the glaze, the bottom left unglazed, the neck flanked by a pair of handles modelled in the form of elephant heads, late 18thC/early 19thC (late Qianlong - Daoguang), H 87 cm