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Ewer

A work made of porcelain, underglaze blue, and silver.
CC0 Public Domain Designation

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  • A work made of porcelain, underglaze blue, and silver.

Date:

c. 1610

Artist:

Porcelain: China, Ming dynasty (1368–1644), Wanli period (1573–1620)
Mounts: London, c. 1610

About this artwork

This splendid ewer is an outstanding example of cross-cultural inspiration. Made of Chinese blue and white porcelain, it was originally a type of drinking vessel called a kendi. Such vessels took a variety a variety of forms throughout Asia: in this case, the rounded shapes indicate it was made for export to Indonesia, where kendis were associated with fertility. The Indonesian form is combined with Chinese decorative motifs like flowering plum branches and fruit clusters.

This kendi was then shipped to the Near East, possibly to Persia (modern day Iran), where such vessels were often adapted for use as water pipes. By the early 1600s, it had made its way to England, most likely imported by one of the East India trading companies. Additions to the piece testify to the artistry of English silversmiths: an eagle-headed spout was added to the bulbous mouth of the porcelain jug and connected by a set of hinged straps to the waist and base of the vessel. A scroll handle links the waist to the lidded cover. These additions transformed the piece into a wine ewer, allowing a prosperous Englishman to add an exquisite exotic touch to his collection of gold and silver plate.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Applied Arts of Europe

Title

Ewer

Place

China (Object made in)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

1605–1615

Medium

Porcelain, underglaze blue, and silver

Inscriptions

Unidentified maker's mark "EI" in shaped shield three times; Marked on base "15-2-0"

Dimensions

26.2 × 25.1 × 16.2 cm (10 5/16 × 26 1/4 × 9 7/8 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Medard W. Welch

Reference Number

1966.133

IIIF Manifest  The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

Learn more.

https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/25230/manifest.json

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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