Covered Jar with Polychrome Designs of Carp and Aquatic Foliage - View 1

The jar's mouth is surrounded by an upright lip, which serves as the short neck of the vessel. The shoulders are round and complement the shape of the body. The body is covered by motifs in red, yellow, green, and blue-and-white hues. The shoulders are painted with a modified lotus-petal pattern. The image of a lotus pond filled with fish and aquatic plants is painted on the body. The eight red carp are vividly depicted in various positions and are surrounded by lotuses, aquatic grass, and duckweed. Plantain leaves decorate the foot of the vessel. Meanwhile, stringed ornaments cover the lid, which is topped with a knob painted with flame patterns like a gemstone bead. The aquatic theme is also found around the edge of the lid. The underside of vessel is glazed white and shows a six-character manufacturing mark in two lines within a double-lined rectangular frame; the mark is translated as “manufactured in the Jiajing reign of the Ming dynasty”. This lidded jar is a masterpiece among the polychrome (wucai) porcelain wares of underglaze blue that were made in the official kilns during the Jiajing reign (1522-1566).

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