Bowl
Unknown Artist
Medium
Nephrite, dark seaweed green with mottlings of very light green
Dimensions
H. 2 13/16 in. (7.2 cm); W. 7 15/16 in. (20.2 cm)
Classification
Jade
Culture & Period
China · Ming dynasty (1368–1644)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Heber R. Bishop, 1902
Accession Number
02.18.414
Art Historical Context
This exquisite nephrite jade bowl hails from China's Ming dynasty (136–1644), a age of artistic refinement and imperial splendor. Crafted from dark seaweed greenrite beautifully mottled with very light, it stands just 2 13/16 inches (7.2 cm) high and spans 7 15/16 inches (20.2 cm) wide, embodying the shallow, elegant form typical of elite vessels. Nephrite, prized for its exceptional toughness and subtle luster, was quarried from distant mountains and laboriously carved by master artisans, revealing the stone's natural veining as its crowning glory. In Ming China, jade transcended mere materi...