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Vase in the Form of a Hu

Asian Art

Potters at the imperial kilns at Jingdezhen created extraordinary monochrome glazes during the early eighteenth century, including this tea-dust glaze, produced by spraying a green lead glaze over a yellow-brown iron glaze. The speckled gray-green color was thought to resemble dried tea leaves. Although this glaze first occurred at kilns in Shaanxi and Henan provinces during the Tang dynasty, and was also used in the Ming dynasty, it fell out of favor and was later revived at Jingdezhen for use on imperial wares during the Yongzheng and Qianlong periods. Not only do this vessel’s color and design recall the patina on ancient bronzes but also its shape recalls earlier bronze ritual vessels popular in the Han dynasty.
MEDIUM Porcelain, monchrome green (tea dust) glaze
  • Place Made: China
  • DATES 1736–1795
    DYNASTY Qing Dynasty
    PERIOD Qianlong Period
    DIMENSIONS 14 3/4 x 9 1/16 x 7 1/2 in. (37.5 x 23 x 19 cm)  (show scale)
    MARKINGS Impressed six charater seal mark on base under glaze: Da Qing Qianlong nian zhi
    COLLECTIONS Asian Art
    ACCESSION NUMBER 46.203.5
    CREDIT LINE Bequest of Mary T. Cockcroft
    CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION Large vase in the form of a 'Hu'. Green tea-dust glaze which turns brown on edges where glaze is thin. Grey-white porcelain clay. Impressed six charater seal marks on base under glaze: Da Qing Qianlong nian zhi
    MUSEUM LOCATION This item is not on view
    CAPTION Vase in the Form of a Hu, 1736–1795. Porcelain, monchrome green (tea dust) glaze, 14 3/4 x 9 1/16 x 7 1/2 in. (37.5 x 23 x 19 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Bequest of Mary T. Cockcroft, 46.203.5. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 46.203.5_bw.jpg)
    IMAGE overall, 46.203.5_bw.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph
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    RIGHTS STATEMENT Creative Commons-BY
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