Club-shaped vase 1660 - 1724

Curator: This captivating "Club-shaped vase" comes to us from the Chinese Qing dynasty, dating roughly between 1660 and 1724. It’s a ceramic piece, residing here at The Met. What’s your immediate reaction to it? Editor: The colour grabs me first – such a deep, intense blue, like gazing into twilight. And then, the delicate gold tracery… it reminds me of constellations. If this vase were music, it would be a slow, melancholic cello piece. Curator: The cobalt blue, known as "bleu celeste", was, indeed, prized for its vibrant luminosity. During this era, ceramic production became tightly linked to court patronage and imperial agendas. Consider how the visual language—color, shape, motif—served as a coded reflection of imperial power and cosmic order. Editor: Absolutely. I imagine it gracing the study of a scholar, perhaps. The constellations mirroring the heavens above, grounding him in something bigger than political power games, bigger even than himself. Makes me think of poetry, of reaching beyond the tangible. Curator: Precisely! The choice of certain patterns wasn’t arbitrary. Deciphering them gives us insight into the intellectual and philosophical climate of the period and its elite social class. These objects embodied Confucian ideals and Daoist cosmological ideas, both crucial in legitimizing the emperor's reign. The very process of creation also holds deep meaning. Editor: Yes. You get this feeling the artist probably put their entire spirit into their making, like they had to quiet their inner-selves and tap into some unknown to paint it. I imagine days or weeks devoted solely to applying those lines...there’s something quietly subversive in this painstaking labour, almost an anti-establishment statement through pure, gentle artistry. Curator: What you call subversion, I would argue is evidence of established order! Crafting an object this exquisite was indeed labor-intensive and could demonstrate the mastery over material and personnel, highlighting the strength and stability of the empire. Editor: Well, regardless, I think it’s one of the most calming art pieces here. All the little details that pull me in give me a little hope, honestly. Curator: And seeing it within a network of historical relationships allows us to comprehend its complexities. Its serene beauty also tells tales of the power relations of a bygone era, still rippling into our present. Editor: In which case, maybe it’s not as simple as feeling calm anymore… thanks to you I won’t just be looking at a pretty vase.