Vintage Canton enamel vase with dragons and chrysanthemums. Porcelain, overglaze and underglaze painting with gold and enamel paints. Depicts silver, gold, and green dragons. China, 20th century.Canton enamel, or Chinese painted enamel, is named for its place of origin – Canton. Painted enamel techniques originated in Limoges, France, around 1470. These techniques were likely brought to China by French missionaries, a fact reflected in the translation of the Chinese term for painted enamel – "Foreign Porcelain."In the same 18th century, Canton enamel exports flourished, with the Famille Rose colors, typical of Europe, predominating.Dragons are a symbol of the Celestial Empire, a symbol of imperial power and might. Their images are applied along with the phoenix, turtle and tiger, as they are sacred creatures in Asian culture.