A Chinese porcelain 'silk production' rouleau vase, late Qing dynasty/ Republic period, painted in famille verte enamels with scenes from the yuzhi gengzhi tu 御製耕織圖, with workers carrying and pounding baskets containing roots to create dye, whilst across a wooded grove women scatter mulberry leaves amongst silkworms on trays, each scene accompanied by a poem and red enamel seal marks, all beneath a band of auspicious Buddhist emblems around the sloped shoulder, the neck painted with a continuous coastal landscape scene, underglaze blue apocryphal six-character Kangxi mark to base, 48cm high Note: The first poem describes the process of distributing mulberry leaves to silkworms: 分箔 三眠三起餘 飽葉蠶局從 眾多搶分箔 早晚磓滿屋 郊原過新雨 桑柘添濃綠 竹間快活吟 慚愧麥飽熟 "Scattering leaves Over three hibernations and three awakenings, Plump on leaves the silkworms comply. The numerous silkworms vie for the scattered leaves, From morning to evening piles fill the room. in the outer country, rain in early spring has passed, The mulberry trees have an added luxuriant green. Among the bamboo merrily singing, Humbly, we cook our millet." The second poem describes the process of pounding root to produce dye: 舂碓 娟娟月過牆 簌簌風吹葉 田家當此時 村舂響相答 行聞炊玉香 會見流匙滑 更須水轉輪 地碓劳蹴踏 "Pounding, The beautiful moon passes over the wall, The wind blows and the leaves rustle. Farming families during this time, Can hear each other villages' pounding. Walking, one can smell fragrant jade steaming, One can see their spoons sliding in the liquid. They need even more a water wheel, Thumping the earth, plodding on the tread mill. C.f. A similar 19th century vase was sold at Bonhams London, Fine Chinese Art, 7th November 2013, lot 208. 品相報告 Condition Report: Some wear to the enamels in areas, light surface wear in general. No major condition issues - overall in good condition. Examined under UV. Please contact the department for additional condition images.