bottle

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Object Type
Museum number: Franks.133
Description: Hexagonal porcelain bottle with underglaze blue decoration. This bottle is pear-shaped with six sides and a hexagonal foot and was probably modelled on a metal-work prototype. Each face is painted in a vivid cobalt blue with a bracket-lobed cartouche enclosing a fabulous beast. These are, clockwise: a horse, lion, leopard, 'qilin' with spots, 'qilin' with scales, and another 'qilin' with spots. The remainder of the body is covered with an inverted-Y diaper pattern in white on a blue ground, with a border of 'ruyi' heads above and formal ornament below. The neck is decorated with feather panels and plantain leaves, the foot with key-fret. On the base is a square seal mark with four characters 富贵佳器 'Fu gui jia qi' [Fine vessel for the rich and honourable].
Cultures/periods: Ming dynasty; Wanli (probably)
Production date: 1573-1620 (circa)
Production place: Made in: Jingdezhen
Findspot: Found/Acquired: China
Materials
Technique: glazed; underglazed
Dimensions: Diameter: 17 centimetres; Height: 33.80 centimetres
$Inscriptions
Bibliographic references
Location: Not on display
Subjects: mythical figure/creature; kirin; fruit
Acquisition name
Department: Asia
Registration number: Franks.133
Conservation

Free entry