Named "The Flame" by an unknown connoisseur, this porcelain vase has a simple but elegant form that highlights the jewellike red glaze as it moves over the contours. Such deep red monochrome ware, known as langyao in China and as oxblood or sang-de-boeuf in the West, is most prized when the surface sparkles with a rich variety of reds enhanced by tiny bubbles and a fine overall crackle, as in this example. Chinese glazes owe their many colors to just a few minerals and their oxides. This red is derived from copper oxide, a notoriously difficult colorant to control, demonstrating the unsurpassed technical skill of Qing potters.

More information on this object can be found in the Gallery publication Decorative Arts, Part II: Far Eastern Ceramics and Paintings, Persian and Indian Rugs and Carpets, which is available as a free PDF https://www.nga.gov/content/dam/ngaweb/research/publications/pdfs/decorative-arts-part-ii.pdf