Covered Vase
Unknown Artist
ca. 1800
Medium
Porcelain
Dimensions
H. 13 in. (33 cm)
Classification
Vase
Culture
Chinese
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. W. R. Moore, in memory of Nana Louise Moore, 1930
Accession Number
30.49.2
Tags
Art Historical Context
This elegant Covered Vase, crafted in porcelain around 1800, exemplifies the masterful artistry of Chinese potters during the late Qing dynasty. Standing at 13 inches ( cm) tall, its lidded form was both functional for storage and a stunning decorative object, often featuring intricate landscape motifs—a nod to China's enduring tradition of celebrating nature in art. These scenes, painted with fine underglaze or overglaze enamels, evoke misty mountains, winding rivers, and poetic serenity, capturing the harmony of the natural world central to Chinese aesthetics. Porcelain, China's "white gold...