Moon flask 1863 - 1872

This "Moon flask" is a ceramic vase produced by Minton(s) between 1863 and 1872 and currently resides in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. The piece showcases intricate, gold-gilded floral motifs on a deep crimson background. It's a prime example of the 19th century's fascination with Japanese art and design, with the flask's form and decorative style being influenced by Japanese ceramics. The flask's unique, flattened, and rounded shape, paired with its delicate and detailed ornamentation, emphasizes the aesthetic fusion of Western and Eastern artistic sensibilities prevalent in the era.