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This is a photograph of a vase with a dragon motif. The vase is ornately decorated with a dragon design that wraps around its body. The background has swirling cloud-like patterns in shades of green, yellow, black, and white. The dragon is detailed with scales rendered in gold and yellow. Its body weaves across the surface, and its head has a fierce expression with white protruding eyes and long tendrils. The vase has a wide mouth and a rounded base, showcasing an elegant silhouette.
Read the visual description

This is a photograph of a vase with a dragon motif. The vase is ornately decorated with a dragon design that wraps around its body. The background has swirling cloud-like patterns in shades of green, yellow, black, and white. The dragon is detailed with scales rendered in gold and yellow. Its body weaves across the surface, and its head has a fierce expression with white protruding eyes and long tendrils. The vase has a wide mouth and a rounded base, showcasing an elegant silhouette.

National Gallery of Art · Decorative Art

Baluster Vase

Chinese Qing Dynasty

Date
Kangxi period, 1662/1722
Medium
porcelain with famille verte enamels on the biscuit
Dimensions
overall: 75.2 x 28.3 cm (29 5/8 x 11 1/8 in.)
Classification
Decorative Art · Ceramic
Accession number
1942.9.607
Credit line
Widener Collection
Time span
1651 to 1700
Department
CSD
Original NGA record Wikidata

Subjects and terms

  • Chinese
  • Decorative Arts. Part II: Far Eastern Ceramics and Paintings; Persian and Indian Rugs and Carpets
  • famille verte enamels
  • Kangxi
Provenance

Richard Bennett, Northampton, England. (Gorer, London); (Dreicer and Co., New York, agent for Gorer, London); sold 1913 to Peter A. B. Widener, Lynnewood Hall, Elkins Park, Pennsylvania; inheritance from Estate of Peter A. B. Widener by gift through power of appointment of Joseph E. Widener, Elkins Park, Pennsylvania; gift 1942 to NGA.

Inscription

falsely inscribed in standard script on the base in underglaze blue in three vertical columns of two characters each within a double circle: Da Ming Jiajing nian zhi (made in the Jiajing reign of the great Ming dynasty)

NGA object ID 1785. 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.