Pear-shaped bottle vase with auspicious symbols and stylized flowers c. 1680 - 1720

This pear-shaped bottle vase with auspicious symbols and stylized flowers was made anonymously using a potter’s wheel and painted by hand. This object is ceramic, made of processed clay fired at high temperatures to achieve a stone-like hardness. The vase’s smooth, white surface is reminiscent of the kind of porcelain sought after in Europe, and its decoration is painted with cobalt oxide, which turns a brilliant blue when fired. Its decoration has been carefully arranged, and the base and neck have both been ornamented to complete the overall composition. Although we don’t know the exact date of the vase, it likely dates back to a period in which the West first became obsessed with porcelain. The fashion for ‘blue and white’ ceramics had a huge impact on the global economy. In this context, the relative simplicity of the vase can be seen as a conscious aesthetic choice. Ultimately, the vase reminds us that the story of ceramics is not just about elite artistry, but also about the broader social and economic forces that have shaped our material world.