Cup

Historical period(s)
Ming or Qing dynasty, 17th-18th centuries
Medium
Jade
Dimensions
H x W x D: 4.1 x 10.1 x 5.8 cm (1 5/8 x 4 x 2 5/16 in)
Geography
China
Credit Line
Gift of Arthur M. Sackler
Collection
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
Accession Number
S1987.776
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Jade, Vessel
Type

Cup

Keywords
China, Ming dynasty (1368 - 1644), Qing dynasty (1644 - 1911)
Provenance
Provenance research underway.
Label

This jade cup was most likely used to hold water for mixing ink or as a decorative item. The bowl of the vessel is shaped to resemble a lotus leaf. Two archaic-style dragons scamper about on the exterior, while one climbs up toward the rim. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, it was a common practice to carve three-dimensional animal motifs on the outsides of vessels. Often one animal is depicted peering into the vessel's interior. This decorative scheme was perfected by craft specialists working in the medium of rhinoceros horn, and the popularity of that luxury good may have influenced jade carvers to do the same.

Collection Area(s)
Chinese Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
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