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BEAKER VASE WITH SCENE FROM THE ROMANCE OF THE WESTERN CHAMBER (ONE OF TWO)

Creator(s): Unknown (Manufacturer)

On view in: Dining Room


About this object

This beaker vase is decorated with famille verte--or transparent green--enamels and gilding likely depicting an episode from Xi Xiang Ji, or The Romance of the Western Chamber. The porcelain has been carved to low relief in the scene while the high-relief figures are applied. The central scene is based on the fourteenth-century novel, "Xi Xiang Ji," or "The Romance of the Western Chamber," written by Wang Shifu. Specifically, Zhang Junrui, a scholar wearing green robes preparing to leave to sit for the upcoming civil service examinations, is shown bidding farewell to the heroine Cui Yingying, who wears a white spotted jacket over orange robes, outside a garden pavilion. They are flanked by her maid and his valet in a landscape on a white ground. This scene is framed above and below by a high-relief scroll designs. Under this is a floral lambrequin and above a band of ruyi, or fungus of immortality. Around the mouth of the vase is a band of enameled babao, or Eight Precious Things, including dragon pearl, lozenge, stone chime, rhinoceros horn, coin, mirror, book, and artemisia leaf.

This beaker vase is decorated with famille verte enamels and gilding. The porcelain has been carved to low relief in the scene while the high-relief figures are applied. The central scene likely depicts an episode from the fourteenth-century novel, Xi Xiang Ji, or The Romance of the Western Chamber, written by Wang Shifu. Specifically, Zhang Junrui, a scholar wearing green robes preparing to leave to sit for the upcoming civil service examinations, is depicting bidding farewell to the heroine Cui Yingying, who wears a white spotted jacket over orange robes, outside a garden pavilion. They are flanked by her maid and his valet in a landscape on a white ground. The central scene is framed above and below by a high-relief scroll design. Under this is a floral lambrequin and above a band of ruyi, or fungus of immortality. Around the mouth of the vase is a band of enameled babao, or Eight Precious Things, including dragon pearl, lozenge, stone chime, rhinoceros horn, coin, mirror, book, and artemisia leaf.

Object name:
BEAKER VASE WITH SCENE FROM THE ROMANCE OF THE WESTERN CHAMBER (ONE OF TWO)
Made from:
Carved and applied porcelain with famille verte enamels and gilding
Made in:
Jingdezhen, China
Date made:
19th c.
Size:
45.7 cm (18 in.)

Detailed information for this item

Catalog number:
26.259.1
Class:
CERAMICS
Signature marks:
Credit line:
Bequest of Marjorie Merriweather Post, 1973