Vase
Brooklyn Museum photograph
Object Label
This vase is a very early example of famille rose enamel on porcelain. It represents the transition between the Kangxi (1662–1722) and Yongzheng (1723–35) reigns, with the shape, shoulder, and narrative scenes on the neck being typical of Kangxi-period forms while the large peonies are more characteristic of Yongzheng-period ceramics. The decoration highlights two mythical birds, either a pair of phoenixes (feng) or a phoenix and her mate (huan) in a rocky landscape strewn with peonies and peach blossoms. This dramatic scene is a rebus expressing a wish for a rich and honorable household. The juxtaposition of the phoenix and peony symbolize a happy life, and the phoenix and mate connote a blissful marriage.
Caption
Vase, 1662–1772. Porcelain, overglaze enamel, 18 1/4 x 7 5/8 in. (46.4 x 19.4 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of the executors of the Estate of Colonel Michael Friedsam, 32.1126. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 32.1126_SL1.jpg)
Collection
Collection
Title
Vase
Date
1662–1772
Dynasty
Qing Dynasty
Period
Kangxi Period
Geography
Place made: Jiangxi, China
Medium
Porcelain, overglaze enamel
Classification
Dimensions
18 1/4 x 7 5/8 in. (46.4 x 19.4 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of the executors of the Estate of Colonel Michael Friedsam
Accession Number
32.1126
Rights
Creative Commons-BY
You may download and use Brooklyn Museum images of this three-dimensional work in accordance with a Creative Commons license. Fair use, as understood under the United States Copyright Act, may also apply. Please include caption information from this page and credit the Brooklyn Museum. If you need a high resolution file, please fill out our online application form (charges apply). For further information about copyright, we recommend resources at the United States Library of Congress, Cornell University, Copyright and Cultural Institutions: Guidelines for U.S. Libraries, Archives, and Museums, and Copyright Watch. For more information about the Museum's rights project, including how rights types are assigned, please see our blog posts on copyright. If you have any information regarding this work and rights to it, please contact copyright@brooklynmuseum.org.
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