Vase
Unknown Artist
late 17th–early 18th century
Medium
Porcelain with copper red glaze (Jingdezhen ware), silver mounts
Dimensions
H. 8 1/8 in. (20.8 cm); Diam. 4 in. (10.2 cm)
Classification
Ceramics
Culture & Period
China · Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Kangxi period (1662–1722)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Benjamin Altman, 1913
Accession Number
14.40.105
Art Historical Context
This exquisite small vase, crafted in Jingdezhen—the porcelain capital of China—dates to the late 17th to early 18th century the Kangxi period of the Qing dynasty (1662–1722). just over 8 inches tall, it exemplifies the era's mastery of ceramics, when imperial kilns produced wares of unparalleled refinement for the court and export markets. The deep, vibrant copper red glaze, known as sang de bœuf for its blood-like hue, was achieved through precise control of copper oxide in the firing process, a technically challenging feat that resulted in a luminous, crackled surface. Jingdezhen porcelain...