Terms and conditions of use
Vase
(c. 1500)
- Medium
- porcelain
- Measurements
- 35.0 × 18.1 cm diameter
- Place/s of Execution
- Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, south-east China, China
- Accession Number
- 2600-D3
- Department
- Asian Art
- Credit Line
- National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Gift of J. T. Hackett, 1924
This digital record has been made available on NGV Collection Online through the generous support of The Gordon Darling Foundation - Gallery location
- 17th Century & Flemish Paintings Gallery
Level 2, NGV International - About this work
-
This vase, with its Chinese-sourced cobalt underglaze blue-and-white decoration, is a classic early Ming form known as a meiping, or plum vase. A tendency towards conservatism in the Chinese ceramic industries frequently saw earlier styles reproduced in later reigns. Financial difficulties led the Hongzhi emperor to order the cessation of official porcelain production at the imperial kilns in Jingdezhen. This vase is a rare example of the sporadic production from this reign. The figure of a robed scholar with attendant in a cloud-wrapped landscape encircling the body of the vase is a composition which found great favour among Western copyists.
- Physical description
- Bulbous body narrowing to foot, short neck; scholars and attendant under pine outside dwelling, with scrolling cloud; shoulder band of cloud collars with scrolling foliage and hanging jewels and upper band of 'good luck' rui symbols; scroll clouds on neck; fot band of lotus panels.