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Source Description
The shape of this flask derives from European gin bottles. Its decoration in brilliant shades of blue with fantastic animal motifs—such as a leopard, the mystical <em>qilin</em>, a horse, and another imaginary beast—is characteristic of porcelain of the transitional period between the Ming and Qing dynasties when potters lost imperial patronage and experimented to find new clients in China and abroad.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
318493
label
Transitional Blue-and-White Square Bottle
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
318493
contentType
object
title
Transitional Blue-and-White Square Bottle
description
The shape of this flask derives from European gin bottles. Its decoration in brilliant shades of blue with fantastic animal motifs—such as a leopard, the mystical <em>qilin</em>, a horse, and another imaginary beast—is characteristic of porcelain of the transitional period between the Ming and Qing dynasties when potters lost imperial patronage and experimented to find new clients in China and abroad.
date
1628–1722
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q79874516
genreSpecific
Ceramic
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
height: 31.1 cm (12 1/4 in.)
cul
China, Jiangxi province, Jingdezhen kilns, Ming dynasty (1368-1644), Chongzhen reign (1628-44) or Qing dynasty (1644-1911), Kangxi reign (1662-1722)
accession
2018.293
Source extras
tec
Porcelain with underglaze cobalt blue decoration
tombstone
Transitional Blue-and-White Square Bottle, 1628–1722. China, Jiangxi province, Jingdezhen kilns, Ming dynasty (1368-1644), Chongzhen reign (1628-44) or Qing dynasty (1644-1911), Kangxi reign (1662-1722). Porcelain with underglaze cobalt blue decoration; height: 31.1 cm (12 1/4 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Edward L. Whittemore Fund, 2018.293
collection
China - Ming Dynasty
didYouKnow
This flask's square shape and design represents a departure from the earlier imperial Ming dynasty style, which is mostly ornamental and symmetrical.
citations
citation
Beurdeley, Cécile. <em>La Céramique chinoise: Le guide du connaisseur</em>. Fribourg, France: Office du Livre, 1978.
page_number
Reproduced: p. 211, pl. 79
citation
Christie's Paris. <em>Art d'Asie</em>. 7 December 2007. Sale 5490.
page_number
Reproduced: lot 126, p. 48
citation
Sotheby's Hong Kong, Ltd.<em> Chinese art from two private American collections</em>. 5 April 2017. Sale HK0767.
page_number
Reproduced: lot 1110, pp. 62–65
citation
von Spee, Clarissa. “Acquisitions 2018: Chinese Art.” <em>Cleveland Art: Cleveland Museum of Art Members Magazine </em>59, no. 2 (March/April 2019): 28.
page_number
Reproduced and Mentioned: p. 28
creditline
Edward L. Whittemore Fund
updatedAt
2026-05-29 08:56:11.212000
sourceId
318493
dept
Chinese Art
coll
China - Ming Dynasty
med
Porcelain with underglaze cobalt blue decoration
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
0c6d00b9fcf8b245