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Source Description
A fierce coiling dragon chasing a pearl amid mist and clouds—a symbol of fertility and power—decorates this sturdy vase. Its shoulder is incised with a band of lotus flowers and the base features a border of lotus petals. <em>Meiping, </em>literally prunus vase, derives its name from being used to display a single floral spray, traditionally a branch of blossoming plum (or <em>prunus</em>), apricot, or cherry.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
311692
label
Meiping Vase with carved Dragon Motif
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
311692
contentType
object
title
Meiping Vase with carved Dragon Motif
description
A fierce coiling dragon chasing a pearl amid mist and clouds—a symbol of fertility and power—decorates this sturdy vase. Its shoulder is incised with a band of lotus flowers and the base features a border of lotus petals. <em>Meiping, </em>literally prunus vase, derives its name from being used to display a single floral spray, traditionally a branch of blossoming plum (or <em>prunus</em>), apricot, or cherry.
date
1300s
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q87481271
genreSpecific
Ceramic
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Overall: 27.6 x 16.5 cm (10 7/8 x 6 1/2 in.)
cul
South China, Yuan dynasty (1279–1368)
accession
2020.189
Source extras
tec
Porcelain with pale bluish-white (qingbai; 青白) glaze and carved decoration
tombstone
Meiping Vase with carved Dragon Motif, 1300s. South China, Yuan dynasty (1279–1368). Porcelain with pale bluish-white (qingbai; 青白) glaze and carved decoration; overall: 27.6 x 16.5 cm (10 7/8 x 6 1/2 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Nancy F. and Joseph P. Keithley Collection Gift, 2020.189
collection
China - Yuan Dynasty
inscriptions
inscription
There are multiple self-adhesive labels on the bottom:
1. Square white (now yellowed with age) label with "90" written in red ink.
2. White rectangular label with "L.80.17.8" written in pencil.
3. Fabric tape cut to rectangular shape with "L.2161.49 /39" written in black ink.
4. White round label from Lally & Co. New York with "X2295" written in black ink.
didYouKnow
In Chinese mythology, the dragon is believed to transport human souls to the heavens after death.
citations
citation
Trubner, Henry. <em>Chinese Ceramics from the Prehistoric Period Through Ch'ien Lung; A Loan Exhibition from Collections in America and Japan. March 14 to April 27, 1952</em>. Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum, 1952.
page_number
Mentioned and Reproduced: no. 187, p. 83
citation
Salisbury, Tonya. <em>The Role of Dragons in Chinese Culture</em>. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 2004.
citation
Von Spee, Clarissa. "Chinese Ceramics and Works on Paper." In <em>The Keithley Collection at the Cleveland Museum of Art, </em>edited by Heather Lemonedes Brown, 194–229. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 2022. Von Spee, Clarissa. "Chinese Ceramics and Works on Paper." In <em>The Keithley Collection at the Cleveland Museum of Art, </em>edited by Heather Lemonedes Brown, 194-229. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 2022.
page_number
Mentioned and Reproduced: pp. 212–213; Mentioned: pp. 259–261
creditline
Nancy F. and Joseph P. Keithley Collection Gift
updatedAt
2026-06-11 12:17:40.622000
sourceId
311692
dept
Chinese Art
coll
China - Yuan Dynasty
med
Porcelain with pale bluish-white (qingbai; 青白) glaze and carved decoration
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
aa1f9fa0025720da