Cup
1550-1640 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
'Flower cup' is a term that appears repeatedly in novels of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644). The present example is probably one such object. Although the carved flowers and foliage look very attractive, the cup would probably be rather uncomfortable to hold. Its peculiar shape suggests that it was more of a decorative piece than a vessel with a practical function.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Nephrite jade, carved |
| Brief description | Flower cup; Scu, China, carving, jade |
| Physical description | Flower cup, carved in openwork with floral decoration and cranes |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Gallery label |
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| Credit line | Wells bequest |
| Object history | Bequeathed by Arthur Wells, accessioned in 1882. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project. |
| Production | Craig Clunas 13/08/1986: see the register entry for 635-1875, where a Ming date is advanced for a group of cups of this type. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | 'Flower cup' is a term that appears repeatedly in novels of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644). The present example is probably one such object. Although the carved flowers and foliage look very attractive, the cup would probably be rather uncomfortable to hold. Its peculiar shape suggests that it was more of a decorative piece than a vessel with a practical function. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | 1552-1882 |
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| Record created | March 14, 2005 |
| Record URL |
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