Stem bowl with two dragons, 1506-1521 ::

Details

Other Title: Stem cup
Place where the work was made: China
Period: Zhengde 1506 - 1521 → Ming dynasty 1368 - 1644 → China
Date: 1506-1521
Media category: Ceramic
Materials used: porcelain with yellow and green enamel
Dimensions: 10.8 x 15.9 cm
Credit: Purchased 1965
Location: Not on display
Accession number: EC3.1966
Copyright: Reproduction requests
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About

The interior of the bowl is engraved in the white body beneath a clear glaze with dragons pursuing pearls in the clouds. On the exterior, two five-clawed dragons are engraved and enamelled in emerald green on a yellow background, pursuing flaming pearls among swollen clouds. A border of lotus panels marks the base of bowl, while a classic scroll border decorates the foot of the stem. The motif of dragons chasing pearls appeared in Chinese decorative art after the Tang and Song dynasties, as a result of Buddhist influences. In Buddhism, the dragon king uses this wish-granting pearl (cintamani) as his jewellery.

Asian Art Department, AGNSW, January 2012

Places

Where the work was made

China

Exhibition history

Shown in 4 exhibitions

Purchases and Acquisitions for 1966, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 27 Apr 1967–07 May 1967
Chinese porcelain of the Ming and Ch'ing dynasties, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 18 Feb 1977–26 Jun 1977
Dragon (2012), Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 18 Jan 2012–06 May 2012
The Way We Eat, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 03 Apr 2021–13 Jun 2022

Bibliography

Referenced in 3 publications

J. Hepburn Myrtle, Chinese porcelain of the Ming and Ch'ing dynasties, Sydney, 1977, 8,21,49 (illus.). cat.no. 21
Jackie Menzies (Editor), The Asian Collections Art Gallery of New South Wales, 'The Marvel of Porcelain', Sydney, 2003, 120 (colour illus.).
Julian Thompson, Orientations, 'Chinese Porcelain in the Collection of the Art Gallery of New South Wales', pg. 96-103, Hong Kong, Sep 2000, 99 (illus.; colour illus.). fig.5 and 5a (mark)