明崇禎 景德鎮窯青花竹林七賢圖蓋盒|Covered box decorated with the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove
Unknown Artist
ca. 1640
Medium
Porcelain painted in underglaze cobalt blue (Jingdezhen ware)
Dimensions
Box and cover: H. 4 3/4 in. (12.1 cm); Diam. 8 3/8 in. (21.3 cm) a. cover: H. 2 3/8 in. (6 cm); Diam. 8 3/8 in. (21.3 cm) b. box base: H. 2 1/2 in. (6.4 cm): Diam. 8 3/8 in. (21.3 cm)
Classification
Ceramics
Culture & Period
China · Ming dynasty (1368–1644)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Julia and John Curtis, in celebration of the Museum’s 150th anniversary, 2019
Accession Number
2019.446.1a, b
Art Historical Context
This exquisite covered box, crafted around 1640 during the Chongzhen reign of the Ming (1368–1644), exemplifies the pinnacle of Jingdezhen porcelain production. Made from fine white porcelain and painted in underglaze cobalt blue—a technique where cobalt pigment is applied to the unfired clay before glazing, then fired at high temperatures for vibrant, durable color—the box measures about 4¾ inches high and 8⅜ inches in diameter. Its vividly depicts the Seven Sages the Bamboo Grove, a group of third-century scholars reveling amid lush bamboo, blending scholarly pursuits with nature's serenity....