Jar
Unknown Artist
Medium
Porcelain with incised decoration overpainted in polychrome enamels
Dimensions
H. 11 1/2 in. (29.2 cm)
Classification
Ceramics
Culture & Period
China · Ming dynasty (1368–1644), Jiajing mark and period (1522–66)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Stanley Herzman, in memory of Adele Herzman, 1991
Accession Number
1991.253.59
Tags
Art Historical Context
This elegant porcelain jar hails from China's Ming dynasty, specifically the Jiajing reign (1522–66), a golden age for imperial ceramics produced at Jingdezhen kilns. Standing at 11½ inches tall, it exemplifies the technical mastery of the era, where potters crafted translucent white porcelain bodies fired at high temperatures for durability and subtle glow. The jar's decoration combines incising—delicate carving into the unfired clay—with overpainting in vibrant polychrome enamels, a sophisticated technique that allowed for rich, layered colors applied in lower-temperature firings. Motifs of...