Vase
Unknown Artist
late 14th century
Medium
Porcelain painted in underglaze blue
Dimensions
H. 15 cm (6 in.)
Classification
Ceramics
Culture & Period
China · late Yuan (1271–1368)–early Ming (1368–1644) dynasty
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Stanley Herzman, in memory of Adele Herzman, 1991
Accession Number
1991.253.29
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate porcelain vase, standing just 15 cm tall, hails from the late 14th century, bridging the Yuan (1271–1368) and early Ming (13681644) dynasties China. Crafted during a pivotal transition from Mongol Yuan rule to the native Han Chinese Ming era, it exemplifies the refined ceramics of the Asian Art tradition. Adorned with underglaze blue paintings of flowers and leaves—motifs symbolizing abundance, renewal, and imperial harmony—the vase captures the era's aesthetic elegance. The medium is particularly noteworthy: porcelain painted in underglaze blue, a revolutionary technique pionee...