An exceptionally rare piece of Qing dynasty porcelain — believed to be the only known depiction of walruses on Chinese ceramics — will feature in Roseberys London’s upcoming Asian Art auction.
Roseberys London will present a highly unusual and historically significant Kangxi blue and white soft-paste ‘walrus’ vase in its Asian Art sale on Tuesday, 13th May at 10am. The finely crafted 23cm-high vase is the only recorded example to feature walruses — a subject never before seen in Qing porcelain.
Rendered in deep cobalt tones with a lustrous creamy glaze and delicate crackling, the vase displays two walruses poised above turbulent waters. This bold design is not only visually captivating but also emblematic of a unique cultural moment when the Qing court was actively engaging with European scientific and artistic traditions.
The piece dates from the reign of the Kangxi Emperor (1662–1722), a period notable for its openness to foreign ideas, driven in part by the influence of Jesuit scholars working within the imperial court.
“This is truly a once-in-a-generation discovery,” said Bill Forrest, Head of the Asian Art department at Roseberys. “There is no other recorded example of walruses on Chinese porcelain, making this vase an utterly unique window into the cultural and scientific dialogues that defined the Kangxi era.”
The Jesuit Legacy in Qing Porcelain
The Kangxi court was a centre of innovation, enriched by Jesuit missionaries like Ferdinand Verbiest, who introduced Western knowledge of astronomy, mathematics, cartography, and natural science. These exchanges inspired court artists to reinterpret foreign imagery through Chinese techniques.
The depiction of walruses on this vase is thought to have originated from such influences — possibly adapted from European natural history volumes or hybrid works such as the Illustrated Records of Sea Monsters (海怪图记), which merged Western prints with Chinese artistic methods to depict both real and imagined marine creatures.
A Testament to Global Curiosity
Beyond its rarity, this vase serves as a material symbol of the Kangxi Emperor’s pursuit of knowledge beyond China’s borders. The inclusion of walruses — animals unknown in China’s native fauna — suggests a deliberate engagement with foreign zoological understanding.
Whether inspired by visual sources brought by missionaries or by notable diplomatic encounters — such as Kangxi’s well-documented inspection of a live seal gifted by Korean envoys — this object reveals how Qing art evolved through cultural exchange.
For curators, private collectors, and academic institutions, the opportunity to acquire such an unparalleled example of Kangxi porcelain — the only known ‘walrus’ vase in existence — is nothing short of extraordinary.
Viewings are now available by appointment at Roseberys London.
