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Vase
unknown - Enlarge image
Vase
- Place of origin:
Jingdezhen, China (made)
- Date:
1662-1722 (made)
- Artist/Maker:
unknown (production)
- Materials and Techniques:
Porcelain, painted in underglaze cobalt blue
- Credit Line:
Seawell Bequest
- Museum number:
C.756-1917
- Gallery location:
British Galleries, Grove Room, room 125, case WN, shelf FS
This vase is made of fine porcelain painted in underglaze blue with a design of lotus flowers and foliage, the lotus in particular being a decorative motif associated with the East. Commonly known as 'Chinese blue-and-white', vases like this were used to decorate the interiors of many British homes in the 19th century.
Chinese blue-and-whiteporcelian wares had been imported into Britain since the 16th century. Although by the 1870s they were no longer rarity items, they continued to feature prominently in interior design. Rooms were filled with blue-and-white porcelain of different shapes and sizes to create a sumptuous effect. Older pieces were displayed alongside newer products.
