A blue-and-white "Meiping" ceramic vase, Yuan dynasty (1279-1368)

Ceramic with underglaze cobalt-blue decoration. The shape of the vase has broad, rounded shoulders with a stylised profile. The piece tapers down to the base, which is slightly wider. The neck rises at the top and narrows before reaching the mouth. The mouth is flat and protrudes outwards. The glaze is more concentrated in some areas, such as around the base and the lower part of the neck. On the other hand, it is lighter at the ends. 

The decoration is finely drawn in shades of blue using cobalt-blue pigment with a high concentration of iron. This can be seen from the shades it acquires after firing. This pigment was used in porcelain from the Jingdezhen kilns during the Yuan dynasty (1271-1368), imported from Western Asia (Turkey and Iran). In later times the cobalt blue acquired other shades due to its composition and further refinement of techniques. The structured surface is derived from Islamic cultures, and some of the designs, such as the stylised lotus petals, allude to influences from Indo-Himalayan art. These influences are transmitted along the trade routes.

In the Yuan dynasty potters developed better techniques in the craftsmanship of blue-and-white porcelain. The underglaze painting that is so characteristic of this type of ware of the period, and which would continue in later times, developed in this period. The clay recipes were also refined to give them a lighter appearance.

The elements depicted are divided into bands separated by a double line. At the bottom is a line of petals with a symbol inside. Above this, and acting as a separation between the main scene, is a decorative border. The central scene is continuous and depicts figurative elements and characters from Chinese literature of the time. It demonstrates the popularity of depicting narrative scenes taken from literary works on ceramic wares during the Yuan dynasty. The scene is painted in great detail in a realistic setting. Above this scene is a cenfa made of lotus scrolls. The last band is a band of petals with Taoist auspicious symbols inside. The shape of the petals is derived from Buddhist imagery, evidence of the impact of Tibetan traditions on the art of the Yuan dynasty.

The main scene is possibly taken from Xi Xiang Ji's The Story of the West Chamber. It depicts three characters in front of an ancient temple in a Buddhist monastery while the male character "Zhang Sheng" looks askance at the young girl "Yingying" but is unable to express his feelings because he is facing the gaze of her mother.

During the Yuan dynasty China was ruled by emperors of Mongol origin. The kilns grew and were run by people skilled in the making of these pieces. Those dictated by the court had more freedom in developing and choosing painting subjects. The kilns at Longquan, Jun and Cizou continued their success, but Jingdezhen produced a large number of high quality pottery pieces. The fact that vessels, not necessarily destined for the court of the country, could be of high quality is due to the fact that the commercial kilns produced wares of equal or better quality than the official workshops at Jingdezhen. The kilns around Jingdezhen produced porcelain, either for export to West, South and Southeast Asia or as commissions for Chinese temples. All have high quality brushstrokes and outstanding cobalt colour, as well as many stylistic and narrative skills. Yuan Dynasty ceramics are as popular with collectors as their Song Dynasty predecessors.

Height: 43 cm

References: 

Victoria and Albert Museum "vase", bibliographic reference: Lup.332

Provenance: 

Provenance: private collection Turkey Meltem Karabeyoglu.  

Literature:

Thermoluminescence analysis conducted in 2021.

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