altar vase
Vase
1573-1620 (made)
1573-1620 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This vase was produced at the imperial kilns of Jingdezhen for the court, and was probably used on a temple's altar to hold flowers. The colour scheme, generally known as wucai or 'five colours', combines underglaze blue and overglaze green, yellow, red, black and pale aubergine enamels; the design is outlined in black and red.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Title | altar vase (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Porcelain painted in underglaze blue and coloured enamels |
| Brief description | Altar vase painted in underglaze blue and coloured enamels, wucai ware, China, Ming dynasty, Wanli mark and period (1573-1620) |
| Physical description | Tall beaker-shaped vase with large foot, middle bulging section, long neck and flaring mouth; painted in underglaze blue and coloured enamels (wucai ware) with five-clawed dragons flying among cloud scrolls, peacoks with peonies, lotuses, rocks and waves. |
| Dimensions |
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| Styles | |
| Marks and inscriptions | 大明萬曆年制 (In underglaze blue below the lip)
|
| Gallery label | Porcelain altar vase, decorated over the glaze
Wanli reign period mark (1573-1620)
Ming dynasty(June 1991) |
| Object history | Purchased from Messrs S. M. Franck & Co Ltd. This vase was part of the imperial collection of the Yiheyuan (Summer Palace), the gardens renovated and expanded by Empress Dowager Cixi in 1884-95. In a photograph of the garden taken in 1900 by Noel Du Boulay, Commandant of the British troops guarding the palace, the vase can be seen on a wooden table together with other porcelain and jade objects. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This vase was produced at the imperial kilns of Jingdezhen for the court, and was probably used on a temple's altar to hold flowers. The colour scheme, generally known as wucai or 'five colours', combines underglaze blue and overglaze green, yellow, red, black and pale aubergine enamels; the design is outlined in black and red. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | C.463-1920 |
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| Record created | October 2, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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