Untitled

Unknown

18th century · Soft-paste porcelain (Jingdezhen ware) · Asian Art

The shape, the two stylized elephant’s heads supporting the rings at the sides, and the decoration carved into the surface allude to the forms and designs found in some of China’s earliest bronze vessels, produced during the Shang (ca. 1600–1050 B.C.) and Zhou (ca. 1050–256 B.C.) dynasties. These early vessels, which were used in court and ancestral rituals, were re-created in porcelain and other media for centuries.

Artist

Unknown

Date

18th century

Medium

Soft-paste porcelain (Jingdezhen ware)

Culture

China

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Bequest of Benjamin Altman, 1913