Bottle thumbnail 1
On display
Image of Gallery in South Kensington

Bottle

1700-10 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This miniature bottle was produced at the kilns of Jingdezhen, in south-east China, during the early 18th century, when the fashion for Chinese porcelain was at its highest in Europe. Jingdezhen was at the time the major ceramic centre in China, supplying both the domestic and export markets.

The decoration of slender ladies on the surface was a particularly popular motif during this period. They were known as mei ren (beautiful women) in Chinese and as lange lijzen ('long elizas') in Dutch.

Porcelain objects decorated in underglaze blue and in polychrome enamels were used as tableware or exhibited as decorative pieces in the residences of aristocrats and wealthy people, as part of the so-called 'porcelain rooms'. One of the largest collection of Chinese porcelain known in Europe belonged to August the Strong of Saxony (d. 1733), who owned more than 21,000 pieces.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Porcelain painted in underglaze blue
Brief description
Porcelain bottle painted in underglaze blue with four female figures and flowers, Jingdezhen, China, Kangxi reign (1662-1722)
Physical description
Porcelain bottle, painted in underglaze blue with four female figures looking at flowers.
Dimensions
  • Height: 10.2cm
  • Diameter: 5.4cm
Styles
Marks and inscriptions
Mark on the base
Translation
Pure joy
Gallery label
(September 2009)
Miniature vase
China, Jingdezhen, 1700–10
Museum no. Circ.364-1931
Subjects depicted
Summary
This miniature bottle was produced at the kilns of Jingdezhen, in south-east China, during the early 18th century, when the fashion for Chinese porcelain was at its highest in Europe. Jingdezhen was at the time the major ceramic centre in China, supplying both the domestic and export markets.

The decoration of slender ladies on the surface was a particularly popular motif during this period. They were known as mei ren (beautiful women) in Chinese and as lange lijzen ('long elizas') in Dutch.

Porcelain objects decorated in underglaze blue and in polychrome enamels were used as tableware or exhibited as decorative pieces in the residences of aristocrats and wealthy people, as part of the so-called 'porcelain rooms'. One of the largest collection of Chinese porcelain known in Europe belonged to August the Strong of Saxony (d. 1733), who owned more than 21,000 pieces.
Collection
Accession number
CIRC.364-1931

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Record createdJanuary 7, 2009
Record URL
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