Pair of Miniature Vases with Birds and Chrysanthemums (1736–95): Art, History and Details

Pair of Miniature Vases with Birds and Chrysanthemums (1736–95) is in the Cleveland Museum of Art collection.

The work and its context

The museum's open-access catalogue describes the work:

In the Qing dynasty (1644–1911), imperial patronage and a growing urban population encouraged consumption of luxury goods and local craftmanship. Luxury items became more affordable to larger parts of the society, including women, merchants, and literati in non-official positions. This pair of miniature porcelain vases with famille rose overglaze enamel decoration illustrates some of the highest technical accomplishments in Qing porcelain production.

Object facts

• Title: Pair of Miniature Vases with Birds and Chrysanthemums
• Date: 1736–95
• Culture: China, Jiangxi province, Jingdezhen kilns, Qing dynasty (1644-1911), Qianlong mark and reign (1736-95)
• Type: Ceramic
• Technique: porcelain with famille rose overglaze enamel decoration
• Dimensions: Diameter of mouth: 2.1 cm (13/16 in.); Overall: 9.5 cm (3 3/4 in.)
• Collection: China - Qing Dynasty
• Department: Chinese Art
• Accession number: 1964.206

A detail from the museum

The chrysanthemum is considered one of the "Four Noble Gentlemen" along with plum, orchid, and bamboo.

Collection credit

Severance and Greta Millikin Collection

Further reading listed by the museum

• Catalogue of the Severance and Greta Millikin Collection. Cleveland, OH: Cleveland Museum of Art, 1990.

View the collection record

See the museum's photographs and full catalogue entry. Catalogue text is reproduced from the Cleveland Museum of Art's open-access data, with HTML formatting removed. This object and its supplied image are designated CC0.