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Blue-and-White Covered Jar with floral scroll design

Chinese

Artwork Details

Blue-and-White Covered Jar with floral scroll design
18th century (?)
Chinese
porcelain with blue underglaze painting
6 13/16 in. x 5 11/16 in. x 5 11/16 in. ( 17.3 cm x 14.4 cm x 14.4 cm )
Gift of Ping and Zenobia Lee
2005/2.90A&B

Description

Subject Matter:

Kangxi, the second emperor of the Manchurian Qing dynasty, took the throne at the age of eight and ruled for a total of sixty-one years, the longest of any Chinese emperor. Being a foreign ruler in China, he sinicized by learning Chinese, becoming Buddhist, and studied the Classics to to gain public support.  He accomplished many great feasts such as completing the unification of China, improved government administration, decreased corruption, and of most importance to the production of porcelain, he reinstated the official kilns at Jingdezhen and opened the overseas trade.  During Kangxi’s reign (1662-1722) there were many advancements to porcelain manufacture and the introduction of many new types and forms. Kangxi achieved this by appointing two different kiln supervisors during his tenure, Zang Yingxuan and Lang Tingji who are the names behind Zang yao (ware) and Lang  yao (ware), respectively. Other types discovered and produced during this time include but are not limited to various refined monochromatic and copper red glazes (including Lang yao (or sang de boeuf) and peach-bloom), underglaze blue in five colors, famille vertebisquitfencai (powder colors), and falangcai (enameled colors).  Porcelains produced under the Kangxi reign appealed both to the elites of Chinese society as well as those overseas. 

Physical Description:

A blue-and-white covered jar and lid with floral scroll design.

Usage Rights:

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