Amphora Vase

Amphora Vase

Unknown artist

This elegant vase, modeled in the shape of an amphora with dragon handles has perfect symmetry. Its celadon glaze is of exceptional purity and of subtle green color, all characteristics of classical Yongzheng-era monochrome porcelains. The amphora shape and dragon handles of this vase, seen earlier in the glazed stoneware of the Sui and Tang dynasties (581-907), were revived during the Yongzheng period for achieving "antique-elegance" (guya) in aesthetics as well as technical perfection in ceramic art.Only four vases of this size and glaze are known to exist.

Details

Dimensions
overall: height 0.521 m
Department
Chinese Art
Holding institution
Cleveland Museum of Art
Image provider
cleveland-museum-of-art
License
CC0-1.0
Credit
The Elisabeth Severance Prentiss Collection

Art Genome Taxonomy

7 tags

Visual Qualities

  • Smooth Surface Both · 98%

    The vessel has an even, highly polished-looking glazed surface, and the catalog emphasizes the purity and subtlety of its celadon glaze.

  • Symmetrical Both · 99%

    The frontal view shows strong bilateral symmetry in the body, neck, ornament, and paired handles; the catalog explicitly describes the vase as perfectly symmetrical.

Time Periods

  • 18th Century Art Metadata · 99%

    The museum dates the object to 1723–35, within the eighteenth century.

Geographic Regions

  • Chinese Art Metadata · 99%

    The catalog identifies the place of origin as Jingdezhen in Jiangxi Province, China, and classifies the work under Chinese Art.

Materials

  • Ceramic Metadata · 99%

    The museum classifies the object as Ceramic and identifies its medium as porcelain with celadon glaze.

  • Porcelain Metadata · 99%

    The catalog specifically identifies the medium as porcelain with celadon glaze.

Tableware, Vessels, and Objects

  • Vase Both · 99%

    The image clearly shows a handled vase, and the museum title identifies the object as Amphora Vase.

Source & rights

Unknown artist. Amphora Vase. Cleveland Museum of Art.