Covered Jar with design of figures in a garden
Data
| Artist | Jingdezhen ware |
|---|---|
| Period | China, Ming dynasty, Jiajing mark and period (1522 - 66) |
| Materials and techniques | Porcelain with underglaze blue |
| Size | H.45.3 MD.20.7 D.38.8 BD.23.5 |
Explanation
The imperial kilns of the Jiajing period (1522–66) produced some very large vessels, of which this jar with an accompanying lid is a fine example. It is decorated on the body with four cartouche panels, each enclosing a landscape with a building and human figures rendered in a painterly manner in underglaze blue. The pigment used was made with cobalt of fine quality, which was first imported to China during the Zhengde reign period (1506–21), and which was used in abundance during the Jiajing period. The glaze is almost transparent, enhancing the beautiful color of the underglaze blue against the white clay body.