Vase with coiled dragon 1884 - 1890

This vase with coiled dragon was created at the Old Hall Works between 1861 and 1902. Notice the vase's pronounced tripartite structure: a bulbous base, a tapering mid-section, and a cylindrical neck. Each section is distinguished by color and texture, from the intricate patterns of the base to the smoother surface adorned with floral motifs on the mid-section, and the verticality of the neck. The dragon, rendered in textured gold, coils dynamically around the vase, adding a tactile element. The structural opposition between the dragon's three-dimensionality and the vase's painted surface destabilizes a fixed reading, encouraging a dialogue between form and decoration. It also challenges conventional notions of functionality by merging decorative excess with utility, embodying a play between tradition and modernity. The coiled dragon is thus not only a decorative addition but also a structural intervention, altering how we perceive the vase's overall form and function.