4 octobre 2023
Jar with motif of dragon and phoenix, Yuan dynasty (1279–1368)
Jar with motif of dragon and phoenix, Yuan dynasty (1279–1368). Stoneware with painting in brown pigment, height 41,5 cm. National Gallery of Prague, Vu 2738.
The jar comes from the folk workshops called Cizhou yao. These wares were usually coarser and had a thicker body adorned with painted and carved decoration. Natural symbolism or even inscriptions with congratulatory motifs are common. The dragon and phoenix are important Chinese symbols; besides having generally positive meanings, they can also refer to the emperor and empress.
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