Amphora vase
1662–1722
Medium
Porcelain with peach-bloom glaze.
Dimensions
Height: 6 1/8 in. (15.6 cm.)
Classification
Ceramics
Culture
Chinese
Department
Robert Lehman Collection
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
Accession Number
1975.1.1683
Art Historical Context
This delicate amphora vase, crafted in China during the Kangxi reign of the Qing dynasty (166–1722), exemplifies era's mastery of porcelain artistry. Standing just 6 1/8 inches tall, its elegant amphora shape—featuring a swelling body, narrow neck, and subtle handles—draws from classical vessel forms while showcasing imperial refinement. The standout feature is its peach-bloom glaze, translucent rose-pink to peachy hue that evokes blooming flowers, achieved through precise control of copper oxide in the firing process at Jingdezhen kilns. Peach-bloom glazes emerged as a hallmark innovation un...
About the Artist
Chinese
The artist known simply as "Chinese" in museum records represents the vast tradition of anonymous or unattributed masters in Chinese art history, with 99 works preserved in our collection. These pieces exemplify the enduring legacy of guó huà, or traditional Chinese painting, one of the world's oldest continuous artistic practices. Early life is not well documented, as is common for many practitio...