Covered vase with bleu poudré, flower sprays and antiquities c. 1700 - 1724

Editor: We’re looking at a covered vase with “bleu poudré”, flower sprays and depictions of antiquities. It was made around 1700 and 1724. The creator is unknown. It’s made of ceramic. The cobalt blue, or "bleu poudré" finish is really striking. It makes the images painted in the cartouches pop. What stands out to you most about this object? Curator: The “bleu poudré” *is* remarkable, isn't it? That speckled effect, achieved by blowing powdered pigment through a tube…it’s almost like a starry night. But what *really* grabs me is the juxtaposition. We have this very specific European attempt to mimic Chinese porcelain techniques, and within these panels, we have *another* layer of appropriation - antiquities represented through, perhaps, a Chinese lens. Does it make sense? What do you see within these little windows? Editor: Hmm, I see depictions that seem vaguely ancient Roman or Greek – columns, urns, that kind of thing - mixed in with what looks like more classically East Asian imagery like flowers and auspicious objects. Curator: Exactly! It's like a cultural conversation happening on the surface of the vase, a conversation between East and West. The vase itself is playing a part, you know, a character almost. And the unknown artisan becomes an actor in that dialogue, a skilled ventriloquist voicing a cross-cultural narrative. I wonder what they intended? Did it become the meeting point they foresaw? Or was it just, perhaps, a nice vase to house one's chamomile tea? Editor: I never thought of it as a conversation! Seeing it like that is a completely fresh way to look at the piece. Curator: Isn’t it fascinating? These objects aren’t just static decorations, are they? They are echoing all the time, filled with past voices, reflecting who we are, what we long for. Editor: Thanks so much. It's a whole new world of interpretation for me now!