Bowl

Historical period(s)
Ming dynasty, Xuande reign, 1426-1435
Medium
Porcelain with cobalt decoration under colorless glaze
Style
Jingdezhen ware
Dimensions
H x Diam: 7 × 19.1 cm (2 3/4 × 7 1/2 in)
Geography
China, Jiangxi province, Jingdezhen
Credit Line
Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art
Accession Number
F1953.1a-b
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Ceramic, Vessel
Type

Bowl

Keywords
China, Jingdezhen ware, Ming dynasty (1368 - 1644), porcelain, Xuande reign (1426 - 1435)
Provenance
Provenance research underway.
Label

Two women and their attendants stroll through a garden containing ornamental rocks and large plants; thick clouds half-conceal the adjacent building. Such landscapes are sometimes said to represent the mythical land of the Daoist immortals, but the story is likely to have a more specific topic and may illustrate a famous poem or drama. Today it is often impossible to recognize the theme. The painting has a slightly hazy quality that is typical of many Xuande wares and may result from the presence of air bubbles in the glaze.

Reign marks written in cobalt beneath the glaze, like the one seen here (see previous page), first began to be common on imperial wares in the Xuande period, but they were not mandatory. The style of the writing was based on the calligraphy of a favored Ming-court artist named Shen Du (1357-1434).

Published References
  • Ming Porcelains in the Freer Gallery of Art. Washington, 1953. p. 20, figs. 13-14.
Collection Area(s)
Chinese Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
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