Urn

These urns (CXV-1586, CXV-1587), with a blue underglaze décor showing a hundred deer in a mountain landscape, are of good quality craftsmanship and of great cultural-historic value. They represent early acquisition of Chinese porcelain in Sweden and their history reflects the symbolic (and pecuniary) status value of Chinese blue and white porcelain during the 17th century in Europe. The Queen Kristina collection of blue and white porcelain comprised of approximately 300 pieces, out of which only these two urns are known to us today.History of the ObjectThese urns formerly belonged to Queen Kristina (1632 - 1654) who was presented with them by a Portuguese ambassador in the 1640s. Later they formed part of the collection of King Karl XV. (Virtual Collection of Masterpieces, http://masterpieces.asemus.museum/Default.aspx)