Porcelain Vase Description

Porcelain Vases in an under glaze of cobalt blue.
Ming Dynasty, Xuande period (1426-35)

        These pieces are a pair of porcelain vases created during the Ming Dynasty in China around 1426-35 or also known as the Xuande period. The line quality of these pieces is very curvilinear which is prominently shown by the S curves that are used to form the shape of the pot it's self. The very shape of the object makes it out to be smooth in texture even though the pots them selves have cracks more than likely due to the age and handling of the pieces. Though some of the coloring does make the piece look rough. The coloring it's self is a cobalt blue. The blue is put on thicker in some areas and this has caused variations in the way it looks such as tinting and shading in some areas. This aspect also shows value in the piece. It is shown by the mere fact that even though it is one color it has many different forms of the color shown in different places enforcing detail.

         The pieces are very well balanced and symmetrical in both design and in structure. The structure works with the coloring to almost bring the viewer right to the dragon as if it was the main point of the piece. Part of this is the design on the bottoms of both pieces. They seem geometric in a sense but move up and get sharp as if in a way pointing, but both pieces share the same patterns in the clouds and heads in the center of the pots. When it comes to the pattern and the shape of both pots they flow with one another. As the pot gets larger in some areas the patterns match the change in size and it is the same when it shrinks. this causes a fluid motion that is soothing and harmonious as well as proportionate.