Tea caddy in wucai enamels with dragons and lotuses decor, Ming dynasty, Wanli reign (1573-1620)-China Archive

Tea caddy in wucai enamels with dragons and lotuses decor, Ming dynasty, Wanli reign (1573-1620)

Image Number: K1B005954N000000000PAB
Dynasty: Ming dynasty
Category: Ceramics
Function: Container
Material: Mineral/ceramic/porcelain
Description:
The jar has a closed mouth, a large abdomen, a flat bottom, concave feet, and a flat top cover. The cover edge is turned outward, and the inner ring is around. The pot belly is decorated with a pair of lotus piercing dragon patterns in five colors; The cover is painted with cloud dragon patterns, and the cover edge and the bottom edge of the jar are decorated with a circle of grass patterns. The fetal bone of the whole organ is thick and heavy, the ring foot is made carelessly, and the abdominal joint mark is obvious. The white glaze is white and plump, with blue and white flowers with purple, and colorful colors. The blue and white book on the bottom of the vessel is in regular script with six characters and two lines, “Made in the Wanli Year of the Ming Dynasty”, with a double green circle. Wanli is famous for its colorful paintings in Japan, known as “Wanli Red Painting” in Japanese, and has long been favored by the tea industry. Flat top cans were popular in the Wanli period. Tea cans of the same type also had colorful flower, fruit and bird patterns (hence porcelain 005958). Their practical functions were more important than furnishings. According to the photos of the Palace Museum Photography published by the Qing Dynasty Aftermath Committee in the 14th year of the Republic of China (1925), this kind of dragon shaped jar is