Flower Pot
1875 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This flower pot is inscribed with a passage from The Orchid Pavilion Preface, written in 352 AD by Wang Xizhi (303-361), one of China's most celebrated and highly regarded calligraphers. Made in Kyoto by the 4th generation head of the Dohachi workshop, it would have appealed to the widespread interest in classical Chinese culture that prevailed in Japan during the nineteenth century. The flower pot was part of a group of over 200 ceramics bought on behalf of the V&A by the Japanese Exposition commissioners with funds provided by Philip Cunliffe-Owen, an ardent Japanophile who was director of the V&A from 1874 to 1893. The instructions sent to the commissioners were that they should 'make an historical collection of porcelain and pottery from the earliest period until the present time, to be formed in such a way as to give fully the history of the art.'
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Porcelain decorated in overglaze red and gold |
| Brief description | Cer, Japan, KYOTO, PORCELAIN |
| Physical description | Exterior inscribed with text from The Orchard Pavilion Preface. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Style | |
| Marks and inscriptions | (Signature at end of inscription)
|
| Gallery label |
|
| Object history | Purchased from the Japanese Commissioners for the Philadelphia Exposition of 1876, accessioned in 1877. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project. |
| Association | |
| Literary reference | The Orchid Pavilion Preface by Wang Xizhi. |
| Summary | This flower pot is inscribed with a passage from The Orchid Pavilion Preface, written in 352 AD by Wang Xizhi (303-361), one of China's most celebrated and highly regarded calligraphers. Made in Kyoto by the 4th generation head of the Dohachi workshop, it would have appealed to the widespread interest in classical Chinese culture that prevailed in Japan during the nineteenth century. The flower pot was part of a group of over 200 ceramics bought on behalf of the V&A by the Japanese Exposition commissioners with funds provided by Philip Cunliffe-Owen, an ardent Japanophile who was director of the V&A from 1874 to 1893. The instructions sent to the commissioners were that they should 'make an historical collection of porcelain and pottery from the earliest period until the present time, to be formed in such a way as to give fully the history of the art.' |
| Bibliographic reference | Augustus Wollaston Franks and M. Shioda, Japanese Pottery. [London]: Chapman & Hall Ltd., 1880. South Kensington Museum Art Handbooks; 18.
Catalogue number 214 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 372-1877 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | October 30, 2008 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest
