jar BM-1947-0712.269.b

Period:Ming dynasty Production date:1522-1566
Materials:porcelain
Technique:glazed, wucai, underglazed,
Subjects:plant fish lotus
Dimensions:Diameter: 21 centimetres (maximum) Height: 24 centimetres

Description:
Porcelain jar with underglaze blue and overglaze polychrome enamels in ‘wucai’ style. This jar has a wide mouth with a thickened edge, a short neck, broad shoulders and rounded sides which taper to a smaller base. It is boldly decorated with four goldfish in different attitudes intermingled with an assortment of aquatic plants including lotus and ferns. Below is a border of ‘ruyi’ heads, above inverted lappets around the shoulder and comma scroll around the neck. From the wear of one of the goldfish we can see that the orange colour was achieved by placing a layer of yellow enamel over a layer of thin red enamel. The base bears a six-character Jiajing reign mark in underglaze blue.
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Comments:Harrison-Hall 2001:Although bold and attractive, this porcelain jar and BM 1947.0712.a are typically much coarser than earlier enamel wares of the fifteenth century. Jars of this design and decoration were made in a variety of sizes and also with covers. One measuring 44.9 cm and with a cover is in the MOA Museum of Art, Japan. One of the same size without its cover is in the Shanghai Museum. Another missing its cover was excavated in Hepingli, Chaoyangqu, Beijing, in 1967. Another is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.