Wine Jar with Carp among Water Weeds and Lotuses

This extraordinary Chinese porcelain wine jar was made at the Jingdezhen [Ching-te Chen] kilns during the reign of the Jiajing [Chia-ching] emperor (1522-1566). Its body is white porcelain with blue underglaze decoration. To this, potters added an additional layer of colored enamels, resulting in this bright, festive design of golden carp and lotuses. This design and its associations with both fertility and good fortune suggest that this jar was made for a young, affluent couple to celebrate their marriage. Like many of the Asian objects acquired by Henry Walters, this jar is a world-renowned treasure. It is one of only nine known jars of this type in museum collections worldwide. Among this small group of similar objects, this jar is widely held to be one of the most beautifully painted and well preserved.