Covered jar
Unknown Artist
late 17th–early 18th century
Medium
Porcelain with copper red glaze (Jingdezhen ware)
Dimensions
H. incl. lid 16 1/2 in. (41.9 cm); Diam. 10 in. (15.4 cm)
Classification
Ceramics
Culture & Period
China · Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Kangxi period (1662–1722)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Benjamin Altman, 1913
Accession Number
14.40.103a, b
Art Historical Context
This elegant covered jar, crafted in Jingdezhen porcelain with a striking copper red glaze, hails from China's Qing dynasty during the Kangxi (1662–1722). Standing 16½ inches tall with a 10-inch diameter, it the pinnacle of imperial ceramic production at Jingdezhen, the world's center for porcelain since the Song dynasty. The deep, oxblood-red hue—known as *sang de boeuf*—was achieved through a complex firing process involving copper oxide, often under oxygen-reduced conditions in wood-fired kilns, resulting in a glossy, gem-like finish prized by emperors and collectors alike. During the Kang...