Baur

Ewer 金襴手蓮花紋執壺

Ceramics
China

Subject/design:

Ewer with enamelled and gilt designs

Materials:

Porcelain

Technique:

Painted with enamels and gold

Date:

Ming dynasty (1368-1644), middle of 16th century

Size:

Height. 23 cm

Place of origin:

Chine, Jiangxi, imperial kilns of Jingdezhen

Description:

With flattened body and tall neck with broad cupped mouth; high foot, and glazed base. On either side are raised, peach-shaped panels with gilt lotus sprays on a red ground, with surround of Y-pattern diaper sprinkled with auspicious emblems, and with quatrefoil panels depicting birds on branches, also flower sprays, in polychrome enamels. At the base of the spout is a bearded mask. On the neck, quatrefoil panels display the characters fu 福 and shou 壽 (happiness and long life) in gilt on red; on the foot, be-ribboned ruyi heads alternate with rosettes.

Comments:

These pieces with decoration set off by the addition of gold leaf are known by their Japanese name kinrande 金襴手, “gold brocade”, as it was in Japan that they were particularly admired.

Inventory number:

CB.CC.1933.177

Copyright:

Fondation Baur

Photographer:

Marian Gérard