Untitled

Unknown

late 16th century · Porcelain painted with cobalt blue under transparent glaze (Jingdezhen ware) · Asian Art

Plum blossoms, which are among the first plants to flower in the early spring, are often associated with the evergreen pine and bamboo and are known as the Three Friends of Winter, a motif symbolic of Confucian virtues such as endurance, modesty, and fortitude. The shape of the dish and the style of decoration are characteristics often associated with works made for the court in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.

Artist

Unknown

Date

late 16th century

Medium

Porcelain painted with cobalt blue under transparent glaze (Jingdezhen ware)

Culture

China

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Purchase, Sir Joseph Hotung Gift, 2005