A 19th century Chinese Da Ya Zhai style turquoise ground vase, Guangxu period, the everted foliate rim painted with three famille rose floral sprays, the neck with applied gilded guardian lion handles over two pairs of chi-long dragons around the shoulder and the main body of the vase painted two fierce sinuous dragons amongst flowering branches with tree peony, large chrysanthemum and fruiting vines in en grisaille enamels, 61.5 cm Da Ya Zhai (studio of greater odes) porcelain is often associated with the Emperess Dowager Cixi, who assumed regency during the reigns of the young Tongzhi (1862-74) and Guangxu (1875-1908) Emperors. It is believed that the porcelain designs are based on her paintings, produced for the restoration of the Yuanming Yuan (Old Summer Palace) towards the end of the 19th century, late Qing dynasty