One of a Pair of Vases with Dragon Handles

China

Not on view

The dragons in the four openwork cartouches on this vase are strikingly similar to those found on the robes in this gallery and illustrate the ubiquitous sharing of motifs that characterizes Chinese art in the Qing dynasty. This vase was most likely part of a set that included another vase, incense burner, and candlesticks, which would be displayed in public rooms and on ancestral altars. This vase is designed to be rotated on its base, a technical embellishment that is also (rarely) found in porcelain but has no true function.

One of a Pair of Vases with Dragon Handles, Cloisonné enamel with gilt bronze and champlevé, China

This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Open Access

As part of the Met's Open Access policy, you can freely copy, modify and distribute this image, even for commercial purposes.

API

Public domain data for this object can also be accessed using the Met's Open Access API.

One of a Pair of Vases with Dragon Handles, Cloisonné enamel with gilt bronze and champlevé, China
One of a Pair of Vases with Dragon Handles, Cloisonné enamel with gilt bronze and champlevé, China

This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.