Jar
Unknown Artist
17th century (?)
Medium
Pottery; Martaban type
Dimensions
H. 32 1/4 in. (81.9 cm); Diam. at mouth 9 1/8 in. (19.7 cm)
Classification
Ceramics
Culture
China
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Agnes Miles Carpenter, 1954
Accession Number
54.150.1
Art Historical Context
This impressive Jar, crafted in 17th-century China (circa late Ming or early Qing dynasty), exemplifies the robust Martaban-type pottery renowned for maritime trade across Asia. Standing at an imposing 32¼ inches tall with a mouth diameter of 9⅛ inches, it was designed as a practical storage vessel for commodities like oil, rice, spices. Produced in coastal kilns, these jars were exported via Southeast Asian ports such as Martaban (now Mottama, Myanmar), earning their name and becoming ubiquitous in global commerce from the Indian Ocean to Europe. Martaban wares highlight China's mastery of s...