Collection record · Everyday wonders
Baluster Jar and Cover
The collection record classifies this work as ceramic. It is dated 1600–1650. Recorded culture or place: China, Jiangxi province, Jingdezhen kilns, Ming dynasty (1368–1644) or Qing dynasty (1644–1911).
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A closer look at the details.
- Museum title
- Baluster Jar and Cover
- Date
- 1600–1650
- Culture / origin
- China, Jiangxi province, Jingdezhen kilns, Ming dynasty (1368–1644) or Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
- Materials and technique
- Porcelain with wucai (five-color) enamels
- Dimensions
- Overall: 36.8 x 23.8 cm (14 1/2 x 9 3/8 in.)
- Artist / maker
- Not specified by the museum
- Museum
- The Cleveland Museum of Art
- Accession number
- 2020.179
FROM THE MUSEUM
In the museum’s words
The following description is reproduced from the Cleveland Museum of Art’s original English record.
The central motif on this jar is a mountain emerging from the sea, symbolizing Mount Sumeru in Buddhist cosmology, and representing the central axis in the universe in Daoism. White cherry blossoms floating on the wavy ground are surrounded by auspicious symbols such as the coin for wealth and the lozenge for victory. The yellow knob on the jar’s cover depicts a cherry blossom. Other fortuitous motifs—such as the leaf of protection, the pearl to grant wishes, the stone chime for celebration, rocks symbolizing longevity—also decorate the lid. While most jars have lost their covers over time, this jar retains its original lid.
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Text and image sources
The Cleveland Museum of Art · Nancy F. and Joseph P. Keithley Collection Gift · CC0
The summary is based on public collection data. Refer to the museum’s latest record for the title, date and attribution.
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