Cover for "Circular Covered Box with Peony Décor"
10th - early 11th century
Description
The slightly domed cover of this circular box features a molded, carved, and incised design of a lush peony blossom supported by a slender, gently curving leafy stem. The composition is contained within a double-line circle, which is itself surrounded by a border sporting ten lightly incised decorative scroll motifs. The bottom section of the box is unembellished; the underside of the box reveals a countersunk foot. A grayish green glaze covers the entirety of the box, inside and out, with the exception of the circular rims where the two halves of the box meet and patches within the countersunk foot, where spurs were presumably placed in order to raise the vessel slightly during firing and prevent it from fusing to kiln furniture.
Dimensions
including lid: H. 5 x Diam. 12.1 cm (1 15/16 x 4 3/4 in.)
Provenance
[Warren E. Cox, New York (1950s)]. [The Chinese Porecelain Company, New York, (by 1996)], sold; to Ralph C Marcove, New York (1996-2001) inherited; by Christina J. Marcove, New York (2001-2015), gift; to the Harvard Art Museums.
Related Artworks
View MoreTerracotta
5th century BCEGreekTerracotta
5th century BCEGreekReddish earthenware covered in white slip and painted with black (manganese and iron) under clear lead glaze
10th centuryMetal
20th centuryGermanTerracotta, black glaze
4th century BCEGreekJizhou ware: off-white stoneware with dark brown glaze, the decoration reserved in the biscuit against the dark brown glaze. From the kilns at Yonghe, Ji'an, Jiangxi province.
12th-13th centuryChineseSilver and wood
19th centuryAmericanBronze
8th-5th century BCECypriotTerracotta
5th century BCEGreekHard-paste porcelain with polychrome enamel decoration
20th centuryGermanSilver
18th centuryBritishTerracotta
7th-6th century BCEGreek