Globular Vase
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Object Label
This vase is adorned with the auspicious motif of interlocking white chrysanthemums. The chrysanthemum is part of the Confucian motif of the “Four Gentlemen,” a quartet of plants used in Chinese painting to evoke the unfolding of the seasons throughout the year.
In literature, the flower was identified with the famous poet Tao Yuanming (365–427), who in one of his most famous poems wrote: “Picking chrysanthemum flowers by the eastern hedge, I gaze at South Mountain in the distance.” Through this poetic association, the chrysanthemum became an emblem of the fall, blooming in the chilly autumn air that heralds the coming of winter, and a symbol of the scholar’s ability to preserve moral integrity under adverse circumstances. It was also through Tao Yuanming that the chrysanthemum became a symbol of retirement from public office during times of political instability.
Caption
Globular Vase, 1736–1795. Porcelain with glaze and pigment, 15 3/8 x 8 15/16 in. (39.1 x 22.7 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of the executors of the Estate of Colonel Michael Friedsam, 32.917. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 32.917_transp6283.jpg)
Gallery
Not on view
Collection
Gallery
Not on view
Collection
Title
Globular Vase
Date
1736–1795
Dynasty
Qing Dynasty
Period
Qianlong Period
Geography
Place made: Jiangxi, China
Medium
Porcelain with glaze and pigment
Classification
Dimensions
15 3/8 x 8 15/16 in. (39.1 x 22.7 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of the executors of the Estate of Colonel Michael Friedsam
Accession Number
32.917
Rights
Creative Commons-BY
You may download and use Brooklyn Museum images of this three-dimensional work in accordance with a Creative Commons license. Fair use, as understood under the United States Copyright Act, may also apply. Please include caption information from this page and credit the Brooklyn Museum. If you need a high resolution file, please fill out our online application form (charges apply). For further information about copyright, we recommend resources at the United States Library of Congress, Cornell University, Copyright and Cultural Institutions: Guidelines for U.S. Libraries, Archives, and Museums, and Copyright Watch. For more information about the Museum's rights project, including how rights types are assigned, please see our blog posts on copyright. If you have any information regarding this work and rights to it, please contact copyright@brooklynmuseum.org.
Frequent Art Questions
What are the "Four Gentlemen"?
The Four Gentlemen refer to the plants plum, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum. Each is associated with a different season. The plant represented on this ceramic object is the chrysanthemum, which represents the fall, as the flower blooms in autumn. Each of the plants has added symbolism as well. For instance the chrysanthemum's ability to bloom in colder weather is associated with the ability to withstand adversity.
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