Charger with Peaches and Buddha's Hand Citron
CultureChinese
OriginJingdezhen, China
PeriodQing dynasty (1644-1911), Kangxi period (1662-1722)
Date1662-1683
MediumPorcelain with underglaze cobalt blue
DimensionsOverall: 7.5 × 35.6 cm (2 15/16 × 14 in.)
MarkingsNone
DescriptionThe subject of this charger is peaches and buddha’s hand citron, vividly painted in underglaze cobalt blue utilising strong outline and superficially applied stippling to reference earlier Ming wares, where higher concentrations of iron in cobalt glaze would rise to the surface during firing. Around the base, underglaze blue decoration featuring three of the eight babao [eight treasures] has been painted above a double foot rim, perfect for presentation on an accompanying stand. Peaches have long been a favoured symbol of the Chinese, as they represent long life. Daoist immortal Shoulao holds the peach of immortality in his hand and they are grown by Xiwangmu, the Queen Mother of the West in her mountain abode. During the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), immortality became the obsession of various emperors, perhaps most notably the Jiajing Emperor (1521-1567). During the sixteenth century, the novel Journey to the West, one of China’s four great classical novels, was published and became widely distributed throughout the empire through the use of woodblock print technology. In it, Xiwangmu hosts a banquet attended by other deities who dine on peaches that bestow over three thousand years of life.
Buddha’s hand citron is a fruit whose Chinese pronunciation serves as a rebus wishing blessings, riches, and long life. Its fragrance is used to scent rooms and is used as an offering placed on alters within the home. Together, the peach and Buddha’s hand citron are popular motifs perfect for gifting and adhere to Confucius ideals of honouring ones elders in wishing them longevity. During the seventeenth century, Dutch traders were so enamoured by the vibrant decoration that requests were made of kilns operating in Arita, Japan (see Dish 1961,1212.5 in the collection of the British Museum, London), to duplicate this decoration, as China’s kilns struggled with civil unrest between the Ming and Qing dynasty.
Buddha’s hand citron is a fruit whose Chinese pronunciation serves as a rebus wishing blessings, riches, and long life. Its fragrance is used to scent rooms and is used as an offering placed on alters within the home. Together, the peach and Buddha’s hand citron are popular motifs perfect for gifting and adhere to Confucius ideals of honouring ones elders in wishing them longevity. During the seventeenth century, Dutch traders were so enamoured by the vibrant decoration that requests were made of kilns operating in Arita, Japan (see Dish 1961,1212.5 in the collection of the British Museum, London), to duplicate this decoration, as China’s kilns struggled with civil unrest between the Ming and Qing dynasty.
Credit LineThe Anne Gross Collection
Object numberG17.1.2
Classifications
Asian CeramicsSub-classification
Chinese PorcelainCollections
Status
On view
