Basin Shaped Jar, 1736-1795. Glazed porcelain, 14 × 18 in. (35.6 × 45.7 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Bernheim, 53.52. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 53.52_bw.jpg)
I love the way those dragons undulate across the surface of the vessel. What drew you to that piece in particular?
Because it's China and I come from China!
Oh, that's great! It's always fun to find something familiar.
I am always drawn to how intricately detailed the dragon's scales are in pieces like this.
Why is so much porcelain blue and white colored?
Blue and white porcelain was very popular throughout Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and later the Americas. Once Chinese potters were able to use cobalt to make blue-and-white porcelain, it quickly became a major export item to the Middle East, where blue-and-white ceramics were very popular.
Cobalt, which creates the beautiful blue color, is one of the pigments able to withstand the high firing temperatures required to produce porcelain.
Now that I think about it- most of Asian porcelain I know about are blue and white. Why might that be?
Cobalt, the pigment used for blue, is one of the few colors that stayed true in the high-heat atmosphere required to achieve porcelain. It's more stable in coloring than copper red, which was also used to decorate porcelain at the time.
Wow! Mind blowing!
Blue-and-white designs were popular in the Middle East, and we know that Chinese ceramics were being traded to the region as early as the 8th century. A number were made to match that market and it started to become popular for Chinese audiences, as well.
What is the meaning of the dragon on this jar?
Dragons were—and still are—popular and powerful mythological creatures in China. This particular dragon identifies the jar as belonging to a royal household because it has five toes.
Wow, tell me more about this dragon jar!
The reign mark at the top of this vessel dates it to the reign of the Qianlong emperor. The dragon with either 4 or 5 claws, and clouds have auspicious connotations and can be found in a number of different media from time to time. The five clawed dragon in particular was reserved for the emperor alone!
Is there a meaning to the five dragons on the jar?
Each of the dragons has five toes, indicating that they belong to the royal household.
While I can't say for certain, the number five has several associations in Chinese artwork. For one thing, it can be used in ceramics to create balanced compositions. As the five toes would indicate, five was also a significant number in this work and its association with the emperor. The number five is also an auspicious number in Chinese iconography, representing the five elements.
Could you tell me where these ceramics were made? Is it the city of Jingdezhen?
Yes it is. Production of blue-and-white porcelain for the imperial court at Jingdezhen continued into the Qing dynasty.
Thank you so much! That's my HOMETOWN!!!
Wow, what a coincidence!!! The reign mark along the top of the vessel dates it to the reign of the Qianlong emperor and the five-clawed dragon motif was limited to imperial usage. The dragon, five- or four-clawed, and clouds have auspicious connotations and can be found in a number of different media from the time.
I notice on several pieces that the dragons represent emperors. Did they choose dragons because they wanted emperors to be feared?
The five-toed dragons specifically that were considered an imperial symbol and an indicator that the object was designed for the palace.
The dragon was valued more for its power than it's fearsome nature. Plus, the fact that it is a supernatural creature connects it more with heaven and therefore the emperor's divine right to rule.
Basin Shaped Jar
This jar is decorated with five five-clawed dragons, symbol of the emperor, surrounded by clouds and with a stylized wave design at the bottom. The reign mark of the Qianlong emperor is placed by the rim directly above the head of the dragon.
MEDIUM Glazed porcelain
Place Made: China
DATES 1736-1795
DYNASTY Qing Dynasty
PERIOD Qianlong Period
DIMENSIONS 14 × 18 in. (35.6 × 45.7 cm) (show scale)
COLLECTIONS Asian Art
CREDIT LINE Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Bernheim
CAPTION Basin Shaped Jar, 1736-1795. Glazed porcelain, 14 × 18 in. (35.6 × 45.7 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Bernheim, 53.52. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 53.52_bw.jpg)
IMAGE overall, 53.52_bw.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph