Rare Chinese Ewer, Wanli (1573-1619)

Ref: W277

Archive item - not for sale

Rare Chinese ewer, Wanli (1573-1619), of pomegranate form with globular body, applied leaf decoration, narrow neck rising to star-shaped mouth and narrow curving branch-like spout; the body with raised bulb-shaped panels decorated in underglaze blue with large chrysanthemum heads and pomegranate cell design, the neck with ogee-shape pattern, tassels and a ruyi head border to the rim.

Condition:

Spout fully restored, neat restoration to moulded decoration and chips

Notes:

A pomegranate vase of similar design can be found in the Percival David Collection at the British Museum (PDF A.659). Made in Jingdezhen towards the end of the Ming, ewers of this form would have held appeal for Middle Eastern markets in particular. The symbolism of the pomegranate and its association with fertility is shared by both cultures: in China, it is often depicted in the hands of the Buddha to represent an abundance of sons, while in the Middle East a new bride traditionally smashed a pomegranate on the ground, with the number of seeds expelled indicating the number of children she would have.