Rare small square Canton enamel plate from the Qing Dynasty. - Bronze - China - Qianlong (1736-1795)

• Material: Painted enamel on copper (Canton enamel).
• Era: Qing Dynasty, Qianlong period (1736-1795).
• Dimensions: Approximately 10 x 10 cm. Height: 2 cm.
• Shape: Square with clipped/festooned corners (canted corners).
• Decor: A splendid central scene depicting outdoor figures, inspired by classic Chinese literary or theatrical narratives (a historical military scene with camp tents, banners and a rider). The border features an elegant continuous frieze of black and gold foliate scrolls of exquisite finesse.
• Mark: On the reverse, a four-character reign mark in seal script (zhuanshu) painted in rose/red enamel within a double square, confirming attribution to the Qianlong period.

Condition Report:
• Heavily worn / piece from a dug-up or discovered find.
• Numerous enamel losses, superficial structural cracks (craquelure), and gaps along the margins and in the corners, exposing the natural green-brown copper oxidation of the original copper support.
• Two ancient perforations (natural holes or for mounting) are visible in the upper corner of the copper plate.
• Despite these significant age-related damages and the fragility of enamel-on-metal, the piece preserves an excellent freshness of its colors (Rose Family enamels) and its authenticity is evident.