Wine cup

Art Historical Context

This delicate nephrite wine cup,ailing from China's Ming dynasty (13681644), exemplifies the's mastery of jade carving. Crafted from nephrite—a tough, translucent stone revered in Chinese culture for its luminous quality and symbolic associations with purity, immortality, and imperial virtue—the cup measures a modest 1 13/16 inches high, 4 1/8 inches wide, and 3 7/8 inches long. petite size suggests it was designed for intimate elite gatherings, where wine was savored during scholarly banquets or rituals. During the Ming period, jade objects like this reached new heights of refinement, as artisans employed diamond-tipped tools and abrasives to shape the unyielding nephrite into elegant forms. Though the specific design remains unadorned in records, such cups often featured subtle motifs evoking nature or auspicious symbols, reflecting Confucian ideals of harmony. Nephrite, sourced from distant western regions, was a luxury material fit for the scholar-official class, underscoring social status and aesthetic sophistication. A generous gift to the Metropolitan Museum of Art from Heber R. Bishop in 1902, this piece invites us to appreciate the Ming artisans' patience and skill, bridging ancient craftsmanship with modern admiration in the Asian Art collection.