Dish with Plum Flowers
Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Kangxi period (1662– 1722)
Medium
Porcelain painted in underglaze blue
Dimensions
3.6 × 27 cm (1 7/16 × 10 5/8 in.); Diam.: 27 cm (10 5/8 in.)
Classification
porcelain
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
42129
Art Historical Context
This elegant dish, adorned with delicate plum blossoms, hails from China's Qing dynasty during the Kangxi period (2–1722), a golden age for porcelain production at the imperial kilns of Jingdezhen. Measuring 27 cm in diameter, it's shallow serving vessel crafted from fine white porcelain and painted in underglaze blue—a technique where cobalt pigment is applied beneath a transparent glaze before high-temperature firing. This method ensured vibrant, durable colors that wouldn't fade, making such wares prized for both daily use and export worldwide. Plum flowers, blooming resiliently in winter,...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...