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<em>Vase</em>, late 18th century. Cloisonné enamel on copper alloy, 20 9/16 x 6 1/4 in. (52.3 x 15.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Samuel P. Avery, 09.512. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 09.512_side1_PS2.jpg)
Vase, late 18th century. Cloisonné enamel on copper alloy, 20 9/16 x 6 1/4 in. (52.3 x 15.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Samuel P. Avery, 09.512. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 09.512_side1_PS2.jpg)
<em>Vase</em>, late 18th century. Cloisonné enamel on copper alloy, 20 9/16 x 6 1/4 in. (52.3 x 15.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Samuel P. Avery, 09.512. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 09.512_side1_PS2.jpg)

Vase, late 18th century. Cloisonné enamel on copper alloy, 20 9/16 x 6 1/4 in. (52.3 x 15.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Samuel P. Avery, 09.512. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 09.512_side1_PS2.jpg)

<em>Vase</em>, late 18th century. Cloisonné enamel on copper alloy, 20 9/16 x 6 1/4 in. (52.3 x 15.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Samuel P. Avery, 09.512. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.09.512_detail1.jpg)

Vase, late 18th century. Cloisonné enamel on copper alloy, 20 9/16 x 6 1/4 in. (52.3 x 15.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Samuel P. Avery, 09.512. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.09.512_detail1.jpg)

<em>Vase</em>, late 18th century. Cloisonné enamel on copper alloy, 20 9/16 x 6 1/4 in. (52.3 x 15.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Samuel P. Avery, 09.512. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 09.512_mark_PS2.jpg)

Vase, late 18th century. Cloisonné enamel on copper alloy, 20 9/16 x 6 1/4 in. (52.3 x 15.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Samuel P. Avery, 09.512. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 09.512_mark_PS2.jpg)

<em>Vase</em>, late 18th century. Cloisonné enamel on copper alloy, 20 9/16 x 6 1/4 in. (52.3 x 15.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Samuel P. Avery, 09.512. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 09.512_side4_PS2.jpg)

Vase, late 18th century. Cloisonné enamel on copper alloy, 20 9/16 x 6 1/4 in. (52.3 x 15.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Samuel P. Avery, 09.512. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 09.512_side4_PS2.jpg)

<em>Vase</em>, late 18th century. Cloisonné enamel on copper alloy, 20 9/16 x 6 1/4 in. (52.3 x 15.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Samuel P. Avery, 09.512. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 09.512_side3_PS2.jpg)

Vase, late 18th century. Cloisonné enamel on copper alloy, 20 9/16 x 6 1/4 in. (52.3 x 15.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Samuel P. Avery, 09.512. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 09.512_side3_PS2.jpg)

<em>Vase</em>, late 18th century. Cloisonné enamel on copper alloy, 20 9/16 x 6 1/4 in. (52.3 x 15.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Samuel P. Avery, 09.512. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 09.512_side2_PS2.jpg)

Vase, late 18th century. Cloisonné enamel on copper alloy, 20 9/16 x 6 1/4 in. (52.3 x 15.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Samuel P. Avery, 09.512. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 09.512_side2_PS2.jpg)

<em>Vase</em>, late 18th century. Cloisonné enamel on copper alloy, 20 9/16 x 6 1/4 in. (52.3 x 15.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Samuel P. Avery, 09.512. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.09.512_detail4.jpg)

Vase, late 18th century. Cloisonné enamel on copper alloy, 20 9/16 x 6 1/4 in. (52.3 x 15.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Samuel P. Avery, 09.512. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.09.512_detail4.jpg)

<em>Vase</em>, late 18th century. Cloisonné enamel on copper alloy, 20 9/16 x 6 1/4 in. (52.3 x 15.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Samuel P. Avery, 09.512. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.09.512_detail5.jpg)

Vase, late 18th century. Cloisonné enamel on copper alloy, 20 9/16 x 6 1/4 in. (52.3 x 15.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Samuel P. Avery, 09.512. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.09.512_detail5.jpg)

<em>Vase</em>, late 18th century. Cloisonné enamel on copper alloy, 20 9/16 x 6 1/4 in. (52.3 x 15.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Samuel P. Avery, 09.512. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.09.512_detail2.jpg)

Vase, late 18th century. Cloisonné enamel on copper alloy, 20 9/16 x 6 1/4 in. (52.3 x 15.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Samuel P. Avery, 09.512. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.09.512_detail2.jpg)

<em>Vase</em>, late 18th century. Cloisonné enamel on copper alloy, 20 9/16 x 6 1/4 in. (52.3 x 15.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Samuel P. Avery, 09.512. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.09.512_detail9.jpg)

Vase, late 18th century. Cloisonné enamel on copper alloy, 20 9/16 x 6 1/4 in. (52.3 x 15.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Samuel P. Avery, 09.512. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.09.512_detail9.jpg)

<em>Vase</em>, late 18th century. Cloisonné enamel on copper alloy, 20 9/16 x 6 1/4 in. (52.3 x 15.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Samuel P. Avery, 09.512. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.09.512_detail3.jpg)

Vase, late 18th century. Cloisonné enamel on copper alloy, 20 9/16 x 6 1/4 in. (52.3 x 15.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Samuel P. Avery, 09.512. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.09.512_detail3.jpg)

<em>Vase</em>, late 18th century. Cloisonné enamel on copper alloy, 20 9/16 x 6 1/4 in. (52.3 x 15.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Samuel P. Avery, 09.512. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.09.512_detail7.jpg)

Vase, late 18th century. Cloisonné enamel on copper alloy, 20 9/16 x 6 1/4 in. (52.3 x 15.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Samuel P. Avery, 09.512. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.09.512_detail7.jpg)

<em>Vase</em>, late 18th century. Cloisonné enamel on copper alloy, 20 9/16 x 6 1/4 in. (52.3 x 15.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Samuel P. Avery, 09.512. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.09.512_detail8.jpg)

Vase, late 18th century. Cloisonné enamel on copper alloy, 20 9/16 x 6 1/4 in. (52.3 x 15.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Samuel P. Avery, 09.512. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.09.512_detail8.jpg)

<em>Vase</em>, late 18th century. Cloisonné enamel on copper alloy, 20 9/16 x 6 1/4 in. (52.3 x 15.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Samuel P. Avery, 09.512. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.09.512_detail6.jpg)

Vase, late 18th century. Cloisonné enamel on copper alloy, 20 9/16 x 6 1/4 in. (52.3 x 15.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Samuel P. Avery, 09.512. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.09.512_detail6.jpg)

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Vase

Asian Art

The four sides of this vase depict the Hundred Antiquities, objects that signified the learned and comfortable life of the Confucian scholar-official. These included ancient bronze ritual vessels, books, painting scrolls, a qin (a Chinese zither with seven strings) in a brocade bag, incense sets, a sword, and a fan in the shape of a banana leaf, among others. On the base is the mark of the Jingtai emperor (ruled 1450–57), famous for promoting the blue color of cloisonné, but the piece was made roughly 150 years after his reign.
MEDIUM Cloisonné enamel on copper alloy
  • Place Made: China
    • DATES late 18th century
    DYNASTY Qing Dynasty
    PERIOD Qianlong Period
    DIMENSIONS 20 9/16 x 6 1/4 in. (52.3 x 15.8 cm)  (show scale)
    COLLECTIONS Asian Art
    ACCESSION NUMBER 09.512
    CREDIT LINE Gift of Samuel P. Avery
    CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION The shape of this vase was popular during the Ming and Qing dynasties and possibly modeled after European bottle of the period. The cracked ice background decoration draws its inspiration from a ceramic technique initiated during the Kangxi era. The four sides of the vase depict plants, rocks, vases, bronze vessels, books, scrolls, a "qin," a sword and a fan in the shape of a banana leaf -- objects which signify the comfortable everyday life of the urban scholar-official. This type of composition, with objects floating freely, is also seen in eighteenth century ceramics, lacquerware and furniture decoration. It was an icon of eighteenth century China and may well be a reflection of the prevailing materialistic urban culture. The use of cloisonné for scholarly objects at this time also indicates a change of attitude brought about by the imperial patronage. Soon after its introduction to China, cloisonné was criticized by an early Ming Confucian scholar. Cao Zhao opposed the rich decoration of cloisonné, which presented a striking contrast to the monochrome ink paintings favored by the literati from the Yuan time onwards. Undoubtedly, the cloisonné was very popular with the ladies of the imperial court, and their patronage and taste may have influenced production. In deep cobalt blue, red, yellow, dark green, light green, brown, and white on a very deep turquoise background.
    EXHIBITIONS
    MUSEUM LOCATION This item is not on view
    CAPTION Vase, late 18th century. Cloisonné enamel on copper alloy, 20 9/16 x 6 1/4 in. (52.3 x 15.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Samuel P. Avery, 09.512. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 09.512_side1_PS2.jpg)
    IMAGE profile, 09.512_side1_PS2.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph, 2009
    "CUR" at the beginning of an image file name means that the image was created by a curatorial staff member. These study images may be digital point-and-shoot photographs, when we don\'t yet have high-quality studio photography, or they may be scans of older negatives, slides, or photographic prints, providing historical documentation of the object.
    RIGHTS STATEMENT 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.
    RECORD COMPLETENESS
    Not every record you will find here is complete. More information is available for some works than for others, and some entries have been updated more recently. Records are frequently reviewed and revised, and we welcome any additional information you might have.
    <em>Vase</em>, late 18th century. Cloisonné enamel on copper alloy, 20 9/16 x 6 1/4 in. (52.3 x 15.8 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Samuel P. Avery, 09.512. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 09.512_side1_PS2.jpg)

    TAGS

    cloisonne
    bronze
    Qianlong
    enamel
    copper
    vase
    vessel
    decorative
    metal
    jingtailan
    metalwork
    furnishing
    Islamic
    influence
    turquoise
    China
    Qing
    gilt copper
    imperial
    European influence
    cracked ice background
    plants
    rocks
    vessels
    books
    scrolls
    fan
    sword
    urban scholar-official

    TAGS

    cloisonne
    bronze
    Qianlong
    enamel
    copper
    vase
    vessel
    decorative
    metal
    jingtailan
    metalwork
    furnishing
    Islamic
    influence
    turquoise
    China
    Qing
    gilt copper
    imperial
    European influence
    cracked ice background
    plants
    rocks
    vessels
    books
    scrolls
    fan
    sword
    urban scholar-official

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