Pear-shaped bottle vase with floral scrolls, ruyi motifs and petal borders c. 1680 - 1720

Curator: I am struck immediately by the calm and ethereal nature of this vase; it has a quiet power, like a whisper holding immense secrets. Editor: Here we have a piece titled "Pear-shaped bottle vase with floral scrolls, ruyi motifs and petal borders" dating from around 1680 to 1720. This elegant object is part of the collection at the Rijksmuseum. The maker of this ceramic earthenware piece is unknown. Curator: Unknown, a mystery adds to the intrigue, doesn’t it? But you’re right. It’s the details—those borders within borders of floral patterns—that truly mesmerize. The blue and white feel simultaneously grounding and dreamlike. It pulls me toward contemplation, it’s Baroque art from Asia, quite unique, yet both have an essence of royalty embedded in the designs, would you agree? Editor: Yes, it's important to look closely at the patterns themselves. The 'ruyi' motifs are significant; their cloud-like shape symbolizes good fortune and wish fulfillment. Paired with the floral scrolls, and what appear to be lotus blossoms in stylized petal arrangements, create a structured layering. Curator: A symbol for what? Like you rub the vase and suddenly win the lottery? Just kidding. I see what you mean by structured, yet fluid. I guess, to me, the way that crisp blue dances on that pristine white… I’m getting an ink wash painting effect even though it's rendered on robust earthenware. How wild is that? Editor: It does offer the semblance of layered space you would associate with painting; I hadn't looked at it from that viewpoint until you mentioned it, although painting, ceramic, sculpture – these are all part of the overall form of the vessel; it creates almost an ontological shift; you move from beholding to embodying something that feels alive and is a fusion of meaning that we read from top to bottom, too. Curator: Indeed! Which gives an incredible life to the space. From ruyi dreams to floral whispers—it’s a small world held gently within the hands, which is probably how we all ought to behave. It’s as beautiful on the outside as hopefully the world sees us on the inside. What a vessel, metaphorically. Editor: Indeed; well said. It’s a profound connection of symbolic traditions, really.