Pair of Teabowls with Bamboo
Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Yongzheng reign mark and period (1723–1735)
Medium
Porcelain painted in underglaze blue and overglaze enamels (doucai)
Dimensions
Diam.: 9.5 cm (3 3/4 in.); Each: H.: 4.4 cm (1 3/4 in.)
Classification
drinking vessel
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
42029
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
These eggshell-thin bowls represent an exquisite example of the technique known as doucai (dovetailing or contending colors), in which underglaze-blue outlines are partly filled with overglaze enamel colors. Outlines of bamboo were painted in cobalt and covered with a transparent glaze before firing. The leaves were then colored with pale green, yellow, and red enamels, and the bowls refired at a lower temperature. Bamboo, which remains green throughout the year and whose hollow stems bend with...
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...