Small covered wine pot or teapot
1662–1722
Medium
Porcelain painted in overglaze famille verte enamels and gilt
Dimensions
Height: 7 1/4 in. (18.3 cm.)
Classification
Ceramics
Culture
Chinese
Department
Robert Lehman Collection
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
Accession Number
1975.1.1720
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate small covered wine pot or teapot crafted in China during the Kangxi reign of the Qing dynasty (166–1722), exemplifies era's mastery of porcelain production at Jingdezhen kilns. Standing just 7¼ inches tall, it features vibrant overglaze famille verte enamels—dominated by rich greens, alongside yellows, reds, and—enhanced with intricate gilding. The decorative motifs of butterflies and flowers common in Chinese art, likely evoke themes of transformation, beauty, and prosperity, adding poetic elegance to its functional form. Famille verte, meaning "green family," marked a high poi...
About the Artist
Chinese
The artist known simply as "Chinese" in museum records represents the vast tradition of anonymous or unattributed masters in Chinese art history, with 99 works preserved in our collection. These pieces exemplify the enduring legacy of guó huà, or traditional Chinese painting, one of the world's oldest continuous artistic practices. Early life is not well documented, as is common for many practitio...