Small vase 18th century

This small vase, crafted by an anonymous Chinese artist, is adorned with cobalt blue designs on porcelain. Note how the floral motifs—likely peonies, symbols of wealth and honor—ascend towards the mouth, intertwining with the solitary figure below. Observe this figure, seemingly caught in mid-motion. This rendering echoes the ancient Greek concept of 'pathosformel'—gestures laden with deep emotional and psychological significance, repeated across cultures. Consider the ‘Nymph fleeing from Apollo’ and compare it with the vase’s figure. Here, the dynamism is less about immediate action and more about symbolic representation. Throughout history, this archetype of human endeavors has appeared in various forms, each echoing earlier iterations yet molded by new cultural contexts. These motifs speak to our collective memory. It is in this continuous transformation and transmission that we find not just history, but also a reflection of humanity’s enduring psychological landscape.