Vase (one of a pair) 1730 - 1740

This porcelain vase was crafted in Meissen, Germany, at a time when Europe was captivated by the art of the East. Here, we see depictions of figures in what Europeans imagined to be Chinese dress, set amidst idyllic landscapes. Note the birds in flight that encircle the vase, symbols of freedom and communication between heaven and earth. The recurring motif of people on horseback is particularly striking; the horse, a potent symbol of power and virility, appears across cultures, from the equestrian statues of Roman emperors to the horsemen of the Asian steppes. Consider the psychological weight of these images: the exoticism of the "Orient," the allure of power, the freedom of flight. How these symbols resonate across time, their meanings shifting yet their emotional power enduring, speaks to our shared human consciousness.