Collection Online as of December 1, 2023

Covered Jar (lid)

1573–1620

Part of a set. See all set records

China, Jiangxi province, Jingdezhen kilns, Ming dynasty (1368-1644), Wanli reign

(1573-1620)

Porcelain with blue underglaze and overglaze in red, green and blue enamels

Overall: 10.2 cm (4 in.)

John L. Severance Fund 1957.62.b

Location

not on view

Fun Fact

This jar is painted with 16 figures of all ages enjoying a garden setting.

Description

In the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing (1644–1911) dynasties, luxury items became more affordable to larger parts of the society, including women, merchants, and literati in non-official positions. Imperial patronage and a growing urban population encouraged consumption of luxury goods and local craftmanship. This covered porcelain jar has blue underglaze and overglaze in red, green, and blue enamels. It shows Ming dynasty advancements in porcelain decoration and the creative mind of the talented artisans who made it.

Provenance

Men-Chu Wang, probably Palace Collection, Beijing, China. Seller's No. 107.

?–1957

(Frank Caro [1904–1980], New York, NY, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art)

1957–

The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH

Citations

The Cleveland Museum of Art. The Cleveland Museum of Art Handbook. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1958. Mentioned and Reproduced: cat. no. 866 archive.org

Mayuyama, Junkichi 繭山順吉, ed. Chinese Ceramics in the West: Compendium of Chinese Ceramic Masterpieces in European and American Collection 欧米蒐蔵中国陶磁図錄. Tokyo: Mayuyama & Co, 1960. Reproduced: pl. 108

Lee, Sherman E. A History of Far Eastern Art. New York: H.N. Abrams, 1964. Mentioned and Reproduced: p. 409, colorplate no 41

The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1966. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1966. Reproduced: p. 267 archive.org

The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1969. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1969. Reproduced: p. 267 archive.org

The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1978. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1978. Reproduced: p. 354 archive.org

Lion-Goldschmidt, Daisy. Ming Porcelain. London: Thames and Hudson, 1978. Mentioned and Reproduced: p. 199, no. 196

Sporre, Dennis J. The Creative Impulse: An Introduction to the Arts. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2000. Reproduced: p. 371, no. 12.19

Sporre, Dennis J. The Creative Impulse: An Introduction to the Arts. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2003.

Exhibition history

China through the Magnifying Glass: Masterpieces in Miniature and Detail. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (December 11, 2022-February 26, 2023).