Read the visual description
This is a ceramic vessel with a rounded, dome-like shape and a small, narrow opening at the top. The right half of the vessel is predominantly covered in red glaze, while the left side is a lighter cream color. The red glaze is patchy in some areas, showing the cream area underneath. The surface features an embossed design resembling swirling clouds or waves.
National Gallery of Art · Decorative Art
"Beehive" Water Pot
Chinese Qing Dynasty
- Date
- Kangxi period, 1662/1722
- Medium
- porcelain with peachbloom glaze
- Dimensions
- overall: 8.3 x 12.7 cm (3 1/4 x 5 in.)
- Classification
- Decorative Art · Ceramic
- Accession number
- 1942.9.514
- Credit line
- Widener Collection
- Time span
- 1651 to 1700
- Department
- CSD
Subjects and terms
- Chinese
- glazed
- Decorative Arts. Part II: Far Eastern Ceramics and Paintings; Persian and Indian Rugs and Carpets
- Kangxi
Provenance
Thomas B. Clarke [1848-1913], New York; sold 1916 to Joseph E. Widener,[1] Lynnewood Hall, Elkins Park, Pennsylvania; inheritance from Estate of Peter A. B. Widener by gift through power of appointment of Joseph E. Widener after purchase by funds of the Estate; gift 1942 to NGA. [1] The provenance published in the NGA systematic catalogue entry (Little et al. 1998, 69) is in error stating the 1916 sale was to Peter A. B. Widener. He died in 1915, so the sale of this pot was to Joseph E. Widener (Peter's son).
Inscription
in standard script on the base in underglaze blue in three widely spaced vertical columns of two characters each: Da Qing Kangxi nian zhi (made in the Kangxi reign of the great Qing dynasty)
NGA object ID 1692. Collection metadata is reproduced under CC0. This work is included because its NGA published-image record is marked open access; visitors should recheck the source record before substantial reuse.