What makes this jade vase unusual are the square-sectioned form and the skilfully carved loose ring handles. Its shape is reminiscent of fanggu, bronze vessels produced from around the late Shang dynasty (c. 1600-1046 BC). Jade craft.mes n active during the Qianlong reign turned to archaic bronzes in response to the Emperor’s fascination with antiques, and adapted them to suit the prevailing taste of the Qing court. The design of this vase, such as the taotie motif depicted on the mid-section and the elongated blades above and below, further testify to this trend.

Jade carving reached its zenith during the Qianlong period as a result of the Emperor’s passion for jade and the court’s access to unprecedented quantities of the raw material. The abundant and stable supply of jade from western China led to the production of larger objects, including vases such as the present.

Compare similar vases of rectangular section, such as two examples with elephant head handles, preserved in the National Palace Museum, Taipei (accession nos gu yu 000258 and gu yu 008803); and a taller one with a pair of lingzhi handles, sold at Christie’s New York, 17th September 2008, lot 563. See also two related vases of circular section, a green lobed vase with elephant head handles, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The Complete collects ion of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Jadeware, vol. 3, Hong Kong, 1995, pl. 134; and a white one with mythical beast head handles, sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 1st December 2009, lot 1995.

此器造型古樸挺拔，仿古青銅觚式樣，腹部飾饕餮紋，頸部及足部琢蕉葉紋，頸兩側置雙龍活環耳，展示出乾隆皇帝好古慕雅的生活情趣，仿古創新的時代特徵。

乾隆皇帝鍾情古玩收藏，嗜玉成癖，將所愛青銅器、書畫等製成玉器，相信玉石集天地之精華，永不敗毀。乾隆平定新彊準噶爾叛亂，玉料供應豐富，工匠們應材施藝，雕琢出如此厚重碩大之器。明袁宏道《瓶史》有曰：「嘗見江南人家所藏舊觚，青翠入骨，砂斑垤起，可謂花之金屋。」明代起花觚始見於文人雅士案頭，觚內可插花、如意等器物，以作清供陳設之用。

兩岸故宮博物院均藏類似玉觚，台北故宮博物院藏兩例玉製方觚，飾象耳，館藏編號故玉000258、故玉008803；北京故宮博物院藏例子，錄於《故宮博物院藏文物珍品全集．玉器（下）》，香港，1995年，圖版134。一稍高例，飾靈芝耳，售於紐約佳士得2008年9月17日，編號563。