Bottle with flying cranes and clouds c. 19th century

This small, 19th-century Chinese porcelain bottle, currently housed at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, features a delicate blue-and-white design of a crane in flight amidst stylized clouds. The crane, a symbol of longevity and good fortune in Chinese culture, adds a touch of elegance to the simple, yet elegant, bottle shape. The bottle's modest size and understated design suggest it may have been intended for personal use as a decorative object or for holding a small quantity of liquid.