Ewer
1662–1722
Medium
Porcelain with mirror-black glaze, painted in overglaze gilt.
Dimensions
Height: 6 1/2 in. (16.5 cm.)
Classification
Ceramics
Culture
Chinese
Department
Robert Lehman Collection
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
Accession Number
1975.1.1695
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite ewer, crafted China during the Kangxi (1662–1722) of the Qing dynasty, exemplifies the pinnacle of imperial porcelain production at Jingdezhen kilns. Standing just 6½ inches tall, its mirror-black glaze creates arous, reflective surface reminiscent of obsidian, a technical achieved through precise control of oxide in the firing process. Del overglaze gilding—gold paint applied and fired at low after glazing—adds intricate, likely featuring phoenix motifs, symbols of imperial and renewal. The Kangxi period marked a golden age for Chinese ceramics, blending technical innovation w...
About the Artist
Chinese
The artist known simply as "Chinese" in museum records represents the vast tradition of anonymous or unattributed masters in Chinese art history, with 99 works preserved in our collection. These pieces exemplify the enduring legacy of guó huà, or traditional Chinese painting, one of the world's oldest continuous artistic practices. Early life is not well documented, as is common for many practitio...