Amphora vase 1662 - 1722

This Amphora vase was created by a Chinese artist, and can be found at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Its form, an elongated ovoid body tapering to a narrow neck, echoes vessels of ancient Greece, where the amphora was integral to daily life and sacred rituals. The rose-red glaze, transitioning from light to dark, evokes a sense of contained energy. This coloration is reminiscent of blood, and its chromatic intensity cannot fail to tap into our deepest fears. The amphora's shape reappears throughout history in diverse artistic traditions. In medieval reliquaries and Renaissance portraiture, this vessel form signifies containment and transformation. In a cyclical way, it echoes into the present. While the literal meanings may shift, the vessel's ability to evoke primal emotions remains a potent force in our collective consciousness.