Powder Box
Asian Art
On View: Asian Galleries, West, 2nd floor (China)
This small box is decorated with two cranes wading among lotus flowers, the outer band framed with six lavish peonies. A crane symbolizes the first rank in official civilian rank badges in the Qing dynasty. Together with a lotus, or with a peony, a crane forms a rebus: “May you continuously be promoted to the first rank and gain prosperity.”
MEDIUM
Cloisonné enamel on copper alloy
DATES
1723–1735
DYNASTY
Qing Dynasty
PERIOD
Yongzheng Period
DIMENSIONS
1 x 4 in. (2.5 x 10.2 cm)
ACCESSION NUMBER
X665a-b
CREDIT LINE
Brooklyn Museum Collection
CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION
Small covered container with medallion on cover with decoration of 2 cranes wading amidst lotus and green-blue background. A pink band between 2 blue stripes surrounds the medallion. Outer rim has floriated decoration on yellow ground with 6 stylized peonies. On reverse is medallion with nienhao which reads, Yung Cheng. Medallion surrounded by rim, decoration same as outer rim on cover. Old #168 painted in ochre on piece with small label, black paint on gold.
Condition: good. Some small stains.
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