flask BM-PDF.662

Period:Ming dynasty Production date:1403-1424
Materials:porcelain
Technique:underglazed

Dimensions:Height: 446 millimetres Weight: 7.20 kilograms

Description:
Porcelain flask of flattened globular form, with wide long neck tapering in the middle. There is a three-clawed dragon in reserve against a background of waves in underglaze cobalt blue on the exterior, a wide band of scrolling lotus flowers on the neck, and scrolling lotus leaves below the mouth rim.
IMG


Comments:Published PDF date : Ming early 15th century Room 95 label text:PDF 662Flask with white dragons on blue wavesBoth the Yongle (AD1403—24) and Xuande (AD1426—35) emperors sponsored important maritime trade and diplomatic missions to the Middle East. The form of this flask was not originally Chinese but was inspired by a Middle Eastern shape, possibly an enamelled glass vessel. During both the Yongle and Xuande emperors’ reigns, flasks in this large, heavy, bulbous form with variations to the decoration were made at the imperial kilns at Zhushan珠山 in Jingdezhen. Archaeologists unearthed a flask identical to this one with white dragons with incised details on blue waves, in 1994 at Dongmentou東門頭, Zhushan, Jingdezhen, from the Yongle strata. The imperial household probably used such flasks as wine decanters but also traded them as evidenced by similar flasks in the Topkapi Saray in Turkey and from the Ardabil Shrine in Iran. Porcelain with incised and underglaze cobalt-blue decorationJingdezhen, Jiangxi province 江西省, 景德鎮Ming dynasty, Yongle period, AD 1403–24 PDF 662海水龍紋扁壺永樂皇帝（1403-1424年）與宣德皇帝（1426-1435）皆派遣了重要的海上貿易與外交使團前往中東。這種扁壺的器形並非中國固有，而是受到了中東器物造型的啟發，可能是彩繪玻璃器。在永樂與宣德皇帝在位期間，這種器形碩大厚重、造型渾圓、紋飾多樣的扁壺燒造於景德鎮珠山御窯廠。1994年考古學家在景德鎮珠山東門頭的永樂地層曾發掘出類似的扁壺，壺身有藍色波濤上的白龍圖案，白龍細部為刻劃。皇室可能將此扁壺用作酒器，但也作為貿易用瓷，土耳其托布卡普皇宮及伊朗的阿德比爾神廟都藏有相似的扁壺。瓷器，劃花，青花江西省景德鎮明代，永樂，1403-1424年