Plate with a narrative scene of the Consort Yang
Unknown Artist
late 18th century
Medium
Porcelain painted in overglaze polychrome enamels (Jingdezhen ware)
Dimensions
Diam. 8 1/8 in. (20.6 cm)
Classification
Ceramics
Culture & Period
China · Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase by subscription, 1879
Accession Number
79.2.617
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite porcelain plate from China's Qing dynasty (1644–1911), crafted the late 18th century at renowned Jingdezhen kilns, captures a lively narrative scene featuring the legendary Consort Yang—likely Yang Guifei the beloved imperial consort of Emperor Xuong during the Tang dynasty (618–907). Measuring just over 8 inches in diameter the plate depicts women, men, and horses a dynamic composition, evoking tales of courtly romance, luxury, and drama that have inspired Chinese art for centuries. Such scenes romanticize Yang's beauty and tragic fate, blending history with folklore to delight...