Cilindrical bottle vase with auspicious symbols, scrolls and petal borders

About this artwork

porselein met onderglazuur blauw

Art Historical Context

This elegant cylindrical bottle vase, standing at 17.7 cm tall and just 4.6 cm in diameter, exemplifies the exquisite porcelain craftsmanship of late 17th to early 18th-century China, likely from the Kangxi reign (ca. 1680–1720). Crafted anonymously using the wheel-throwing technique—known as "turning"— features a pristine white porcelain body adorned with underglaze blue. Delicate scrolls, petal borders, and auspicious symbols swirl across its surface, motifs drawn from traditional Chinese iconography symbolizing prosperity, longevity, and harmony. These blue-and-white wares were pinnacle achievements of Jingdezhen kilns, where cobalt pigment was applied beneath the glaze before high-temperature firing, yielding the vibrant yet subtle hues prized worldwide. Exported via maritime trade routes, especially to Europe through the Dutch East India Company, such vases graced cabinets of curiosity and tabletops, blending utility with artistry. For collectors today, this piece whispers of global exchange: a slender vessel not just for flowers, but a talisman of good fortune, bridging Eastern artistry with Western fascination. Its slender form and intricate details invite close contemplation, revealing the timeless allure of porcelain mastery.

About the Artist

anonymous

In the vast tapestry of art history, "Anonymous" stands not as a singular individual but as a collective designation for countless unidentified creators whose works have endured across millennia. These artists, spanning prehistoric cave painters to medieval illuminators and folk craftsmen, produced the foundational layers of human visual culture. Prior to the Renaissance, when individual fame emer...