Pear-shaped bottle vase with auspicious symbols and a woman with a fan c. 1680 - 1720

Here is the audio guide script about the artwork provided: This pear-shaped bottle vase with auspicious symbols and a woman with a fan was made by an anonymous artist. The object's most striking feature is its stark contrast, achieved through the use of white porcelain as a canvas for the blue decorative motifs. The vase plays with verticality through the long, slender neck. Note how the painter divides the surface into distinct registers, each framed by geometric patterns. Auspicious symbols encircle the body of the vase, each contained within its own distinct cartouche. These symbolic vignettes offer glimpses into cultural narratives, subtly destabilizing the vase's singular form by introducing multiple focal points and stories. Observe the semiotic interplay between the vase’s shape, with its classical lines, and the dynamic narratives depicted in blue. The overall effect is a dialogue between form and content, where the aesthetic appeal of the vase is enhanced by the symbolic language of its painted motifs, inviting continuous interpretation.