Bowl with Old Pine and Poem
Medium
Porcelain with molded and carved design
Dimensions
diam. 19.1 cm · height: h. 8 cm
Classification
Ceramic
Department
Japanese Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of James and Christine Heusinger
Accession Number
2022.209
Tags
About this artwork
A grand, aged pine is carved into the body of this bowl. The inscription on the reverse side explains the tree’s presence. It is an altered version of two lines from a poem by Li Jiao (646?–715?) called “Pine.” Li Jiao was a senior government official who had a tumultuous career under the reign of Wu Zetian (r. 690–705), as well as those of her sons and grandson during the Tang dynasty (618–907). Although little known today, his work was read in Japan during the Heian (794–1185) and Kamakura per...