Period:Ming dynasty Production date:1573-1620
Materials:porcelain
Technique:glazed, underglazed,
Subjects:alchemist/alchemy immortal eight treasures of buddhism
Dimensions:Diameter: 22 centimetres Height: 3.50 centimetres
Description:
Porcelain dish with underglaze blue decoration. This dish has rounded sides, a flared rim and a tapering foot. It is painted inside and out in underglaze blue. The central scene shows a seated immortal, holding a ‘ruyi’ sceptre, attended by a servant holding a parasol and by a half-naked alchemist who is emptying a potion into a brazier. This brazier is known as a ‘lian dan lu’ [brazier to refine the pill of immortality]. In the background the isles of the immortals are suggested by three peaks enveloped in clouds while in the foreground are rocks, peonies and a deer. An unusual border of double gourds and leaf scroll fills the well. This dish illustrates Ming openness to the unity of both Buddhist and Daoist iconography on a single object. The scene inside the dish is Daoist while the symbols on the back are Buddhist in origin. Outside the Eight Treasures of Buddhism are individually supported by lotus flowers and the foot is decorated with a classic scroll border. A six-character Wanli mark in a double ring marks the base.
IMG
![图片[1]-dish BM-Franks.295.+-China Archive](https://chinaarchive.net/Ming dynasty/Ceramics/mid_00325690_001.jpg)
Comments:Harrison-Hall 2001:The pursuit of immortality by dabbling in magic, alchemy and fortune-telling of all kinds was practised in the Ming era. Iconography of this type is especially prevalent in the Jiajing and Wanli reigns. The Jiajing emperor was a fervent Daoist and actively sought immortality by ingesting a whole range of magic elixirs and potions which undoubtedly hastened his death. The Jiajing emperor and others visited Daoist soothsayers, skilled in telling fortunes and predicting destinies from diagrams and omens; woodblock prints survive illustrating this activity.
Materials:porcelain
Technique:glazed, underglazed,
Subjects:alchemist/alchemy immortal eight treasures of buddhism
Dimensions:Diameter: 22 centimetres Height: 3.50 centimetres
Description:
Porcelain dish with underglaze blue decoration. This dish has rounded sides, a flared rim and a tapering foot. It is painted inside and out in underglaze blue. The central scene shows a seated immortal, holding a ‘ruyi’ sceptre, attended by a servant holding a parasol and by a half-naked alchemist who is emptying a potion into a brazier. This brazier is known as a ‘lian dan lu’ [brazier to refine the pill of immortality]. In the background the isles of the immortals are suggested by three peaks enveloped in clouds while in the foreground are rocks, peonies and a deer. An unusual border of double gourds and leaf scroll fills the well. This dish illustrates Ming openness to the unity of both Buddhist and Daoist iconography on a single object. The scene inside the dish is Daoist while the symbols on the back are Buddhist in origin. Outside the Eight Treasures of Buddhism are individually supported by lotus flowers and the foot is decorated with a classic scroll border. A six-character Wanli mark in a double ring marks the base.
IMG
Comments:Harrison-Hall 2001:The pursuit of immortality by dabbling in magic, alchemy and fortune-telling of all kinds was practised in the Ming era. Iconography of this type is especially prevalent in the Jiajing and Wanli reigns. The Jiajing emperor was a fervent Daoist and actively sought immortality by ingesting a whole range of magic elixirs and potions which undoubtedly hastened his death. The Jiajing emperor and others visited Daoist soothsayers, skilled in telling fortunes and predicting destinies from diagrams and omens; woodblock prints survive illustrating this activity.
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