Chinese blanc de chine libation cup, Kangxi (1662-1722), c.1700
Chinese blanc de chine libation cup, Kangxi (1662-1722), c.1700
POA
Description
Chinese blanc de chine libation cup, Kangxi (1662-1722), c.1700, with flared rim, on a moulded foot in the form of twisted branches, with applied boughs of flowering prunus and magnolia
Dimensions:
Height: 6.3cm. (2 7/16in.)
Condition:
Short hairline to rim, restored rim chip
Notes:
For illustrated examples of similar blanc de chine cups see Ayers, John (2016). Chinese and Japanese Works of Art in the Collection of Her Majesty the Queen (Vol I), p.73, pl. 112-125.
Traditionally, libation cups were used as communal drinking vessels at important ceremonial occasions. The magnolia decoration and white body of this cup symbolises purity and beauty; magnolias were traditionally grown in Tang Buddhist temples where they flowered every spring. Along with prunus, they represent the start of spring after a long cold winter.
| item details | |
|---|---|
| Material and Technique | Blanc de chine porcelain with applied decoration |
| Origin | Chinese |
| Period | 18th Century |
| Dimensions | Height: 6.3cm. (2 7/16in.) |
Product REF: Y226
